Are The Bengals The New Thugs On The Block?

It doesn’t matter. If you’re a talented cog in the NFL’s rating machine, you’ll encounter bias as a Cincinnati Bengals player. Over the years, the perception of Cincinnati football has taken a beating. Coverage of games is usually one-sided and peppered with negativity. The majority of the media has painted a new picture of the Bengals. They have effectively become the new thugs on the block.

It really doesn’t matter that thug mentality is a relatively new idea, when it comes to describing football players. What’s so unique is the fact that Bengals are being hit with the label. Players are usually different people off the football field. Calling them thugs is a reaction to not knowing who they are beyond the violent sport they play.

Per The Patriot-News, even Steelers inside linebacker Vince Williams isn’t thrilled about the usage of the word. He tweeted about the carefree way that fans and analysts refer to players.

We have to stop calling football players thugs. I know thugs they don't carry footballs they carry Glocks. Find a better word.

— Vince Williams (@VinnyVidiVici98) January 10, 2016

His tweet was met with sarcasm and ignorance.

It’s not just Burfict. The Bengals’ defense has been baptized as the new gangsters of the league. They terrorize other teams and make citizens cringe in fear. Quick, grab your children and run for cover. The Bengals are coming to town.

Fans don’t rationalize that many players are creating a persona for themselves. What they portray on the field is far from their true personality. Bengals players are part of a business. They get paid to wreak havoc on a violent landscape. Most players don’t want to be referred to in that manner, even if it “seems” to be part of their on-field persona. The media branding of players can cause things to be called one-sided.

Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther doesn’t like the treatment of Burfict. During a revealing rant to The Cincinnati Enquirer, he voiced his displeasure with the bias.

“I think it’s awful. The way he’s being perceived right now is terrible. I feel terrible for the kid. Yeah, he’s done some things away from the ball that he’s had to clean up. He’s got the tag on him. I think it’s wrong.”

Despite efforts proving that the Bengals have turned a losing franchise into one of the more successful of the past five years, media portrayal is at an all-time low. Commentators twist scenarios, players are ridiculed and accomplishments belittled to satisfy a created thirst for Bengals hatred.

Anyone can be a homer for a certain team, but enough is enough. Sure. Adam Jones said Antonio Brown should win a Grammy for “acting” like he was injured after the Bengals-Steelers Wild Card game. Who hasn’t made a mistake, while in the midst of an angry rant? Being a Bengals player, the media attack was ruthless. Just another example of the ignorant thugs playing for a team called the Bengals.

Various calls go against the Bengals and rarely receive a blink from the refs. Official thug spokesman for the Bengals, Vontaze Burfict, let it rip on the topic. He let NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in on a nasty little secret. He says officials are waiting for him to retaliate rather than making the original call of the player fouling or baiting him.

“All I want is equal treatment. The offensive linemen poking me in the eye and the ref waiting for me to retaliate, you get worn down and frustrated. Hopefully it changes next year.”

He says he won’t give in to the temptation of retaliation. He’ll just report the offenses and hope something gets done.

Calling things fairly and making a true assessment of the situation seems like an easy fix. But when you play for the Cincinnati Bengals, that could be a long wait.