With the 2020 NFL Draft undergoing changes, fans of the Cincinnati Bengals should remember that the bigger prize is having Joe Burrow under center, not the glitz and glam of opening night in Las Vegas.
This morning, while reading social media, a tweet came across the timeline. It was from a Cincinnati Bengals fan I follow and am grateful for him following my account and the work I publish. I read his tweet and was immediately struck by how news of the NFL Draft affected him and so many others. His tweet was sincere, and a likely indicator of the sentiments of fans in the Queen City.
For the record, I don’t pretend to have the level of fandom this gentleman has. I like the Bengals because they are a great story, and are part of the AFC, which is my preferred conference. That said, recent events have made what is typically a euphoric time for the NFL, a time of concern, and in the case of Bengals fans, a disappointment.
For those like @krandonboon, it’s one of those generational events. An opportunity to see the home team draft the hometown kid who made good. The one who didn’t just win the big postseason hardware like the Heisman Trophy, but deliver a national championship and an undefeated season. For fans like this guy, the 2020 NFL Draft was the big moment. It was all the glitz and glamour only Las Vegas could provide.
I know it’s for good reason but this draft news is devastating. As a Bengals fan and a die hard fan of the NFL draft process, not being able to see the bengals picking 1st and potentially a franchise altering player unfold live sucks. This was a bucket list item for me.
— Brandon Koon (@krandonboon) March 16, 2020
I sincerely feel bad for this fan and others like him. To not see Joe Burrow make the trip across the Bellagio water feature is a disappointment. It’s that one moment that the NFL Draft has wildly succeeded at delivering these last several years. Unfortunately in 2020, circumstances prevent that.
There isn’t a whole lot I can offer to this fan or all those who had a plan to visit Las Vegas and celebrate the moment. My honest hope is they remember the bigger prize is having Joe Burrow in a Bengals uniform for a lifetime of wins and hopefully championships. Maybe that happens, maybe not. I do hope, for fans like this gentleman, that the greater satisfaction will be Burrow producing on opening day and then every game thereafter.
For someone like me, someone who likes the great story, that’s a lot more satisfying to write about than the walk across the stage to hold a jersey. Hopefully, for Bengals fans, and for @krandonboon, the 2020 season and seasons thereafter will be the better memory and the greater story.