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Cincinnati Bengals

I'll drink to that: Bengals coach Zac Taylor gifts game ball to local bar

Taylor guided the Bengals to their first playoff win in more than three decades

By Anthony Farris Fox News
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Cincinnati city officials can commence the Zac Taylor monument any day now. After Taylor guided the Bengals to their first playoff win in more than three decades, the third-year coach gifted one of the game balls to a local watering hole, forever cementing his status as a Cincy legend alongside the likes of Pete Rose, Bob Huggins, and the sick bastard who invented Skyline chili.

Unlike the pot of beans, Taylor’s gesture should stick around for a while. Following Sunday’s win over the Raiders, Taylor veered from his drive home and stopped at Mt. Lookout Tavern, a popular spot for Bengals fans. Once inside, Taylor and punter Kevin Huber personally delivered a game ball to the bar as a thank you to the city.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws while being pressured by Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby (98) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Cincinnati. 

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws while being pressured by Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby (98) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Cincinnati.  (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

"This is the first of many playoff games we win here," Taylor said in a video that’s since gone viral.

In the 45-second clip, Taylor can be seen making good on a promise he made to himself shortly after his 2019 hiring — to gift a game ball from a playoff win to local fans to thank them for their loyalty.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Denver. The Bengals won 15-10.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Denver. The Bengals won 15-10. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

During his post-game celebration, Bengals fans can be seen and heard cheering loudly, hanging onto Taylor’s every word. Taylor, 38, didn’t stick around long enough to partake in any celebratory suds, but he did savor the combined taste of victory and the fans’ adoration.

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Wide receiver Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates catching a second quarter touchdown pass with teammates Joe Mixon #28 and Ja'Marr Chase #1 against the Las Vegas Raiders during the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Wide receiver Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates catching a second quarter touchdown pass with teammates Joe Mixon #28 and Ja'Marr Chase #1 against the Las Vegas Raiders during the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

"It was what I pictured," Taylor told The MMQB’s Albert Breer. "It was packed. It was a good scene. People obviously had been there for a while, having a good time, which is what I was hoping for. So it was fun to be able to share that with those people."

Taylor-made for a blue-collar town like Cincinnati.