Bengals pep rally ignites a week of celebration and anticipation

By Kayla Ross, Spencer de Tenley and Lilly Cotton

Paul Brown Stadium was aglow on Monday, as the city of Cincinnati rallied together to kickstart Super Bowl week. The Bengals hosted a pep rally to celebrate its team and prepare for their trip to Los Angeles. Over 30,000 Cincinnatians were in attendance after tickets sold out in hours.

The night started with an appearance and a few words from the Cincinnati Major Aftab Pureval, which was followed by hype music and a performance from the team’s mascot, Who Dey, and the team’s cheerleaders.

After much anticipation, all of the Bengals players were welcomed to the field by thousands of excited fans dressed in orange and black. The players entered the field, one by one, with new track suits on and the roars of crows. Of course, the team saved the best for last, and Joe Burrow completed the team walkout. “Who Dey” was chanted all over the city. 

Once the whole team was on the field, Bengals’ Head Coach Zac Taylor gave an uplifting speech to the crowd while surrounded by his team. He ended with a promise.

“I promise you Cincinnati, we will put our best energy into this and we will make you proud,” he said.

The event lasted for about an hour, ending with a spectacular fireworks show featuring orange and gold displays.