CINCINNATI -- For two seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals were playing on one of the biggest Sundays in pro sports: NFL championship Sunday.
In 2021 and 2022, Cincinnati made back-to-back trips to the AFC Championship Game, both road visits to Kansas City. The Bengals won the first matchup, making their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 seasons. They lost the rematch.
The day after this year's conference championships, Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor was sitting at the team's facility, introducing new defensive coordinator Al Golden. Being a spectator didn't add to his personal ambition to push the Bengals back into title contention.