Joe Burrow gives Bengals major props for locker room upgrade

During training camp this year, the Cincinnati Bengals unveiled an upgraded, state-of-the-art locker room for the players. It includes new, technologically advanced lockers, upgraded restroom facilities, and an open design with higher ceilings that help maximize the original football-shape footprint to enable team connectivity, per the team's website.

Additional features include a fuel station, circadian rhythm lighting that can sync to music from the new sound system, and increased Wi-Fi for better connectivity. It certainly looks really nice from the photos.

Joe Burrow approves of the upgrade

The players are impressed with the new digs, as star quarterback Joe Burrow gave the organization major props for the upgrades, saying that it's going to make players want to come into work even more.

"It's sick," Burrow said of the new locker room. "The more we continue to invest in stuff like this, the more comfortable the players are going to be. We're going to love coming into work. I'm really happy with it. It's quite an upgrade. Credit to ownership for putting this all together."

Head coach Zac Taylor is also appreciative of the improvements, noting how the new set up is very player-friendly.

"The players have to travel no longer than 30 seconds to go from food to the locker room to the training room to the recovery room to the weight room, which is rare," Taylor said. "I'm very appreciative of ownership really making sure accommodations in all areas are top of the line. I wouldn't change anything."

The upgrades come on the heels of the Bengals receiving a 'D+' grade for their locker room on the 2024 NFLPA report card. According to that report, the showers specifically, were an area of issue for the team prior to the improvements as, "The players reported that half of the showers in their locker room don’t function properly, lacking either warm water or sufficient water pressure. They also mention persistent plumbing issues, leaving them with only five functioning toilets for the entire team."

Five functioning toilets for an entire professional football team just isn't enough, so hopefully that will no longer be an issue with the new setup.

At the end of the day, investments like the one the Bengals made in their locker room can work to boost morale -- and production. The more comfortable the players are, the more they'll want to be around the facility putting in work, and that could ultimately even improve the on-field product.