It wasn't supposed to happen. Not even a little bit. If you look back at the preseason odds for the 2021-22 NFL season, the Bengals were sitting at +15000 to win it all. They were coming off a four-win season. Joe Burrow’s knee had basically been reconstructed by doctors only months prior. The offensive line was, to put it politely, a sieve.
Yet, the Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl 2022 journey became one of those rare sports anomalies that defies every spreadsheet and "expert" algorithm on ESPN. It was a fever dream of orange leopard print, "Who Dey" chants, and a kicker who quite literally could not miss. People talk about the "Cinderella story" in March Madness, but seeing it play out over an 18-week NFL grind is a different beast entirely.
Honestly, the city of Cincinnati didn't even know how to handle it. A franchise that hadn't won a playoff game in 31 years suddenly found itself staring down Matthew Stafford and the Rams in Los Angeles. It was chaotic. It was loud. And even though the ending sucked for Bengals fans, the path there changed the NFL's power structure forever.
The Burrow-Chase Connection: More Than Just Chemistry
You can't talk about the Super Bowl run without talking about the LSU reunion. When the Bengals took Ja'Marr Chase over Penei Sewell in the draft, the "draft gurus" lost their minds. They said you can't throw the ball if your QB is on his back. They were half-right, actually—Burrow took a beating—but they underestimated the sheer gravity Chase brought to the field.
Chase finished that regular season with 1,455 receiving yards. That isn't just "good for a rookie." It was historic. He and Burrow had this unspoken language where Burrow would just loft a ball into double coverage, and somehow, Chase would come down with it. It felt like backyard football played at 100 miles per hour. During the divisional round against the Tennessee Titans, Burrow was sacked nine times. Nine. Usually, that’s a recipe for a 30-point blowout loss. But because that connection was so lethal, they stayed in the game.
It's kinda wild when you think about it. The Bengals didn't win that playoff game because they dominated the trenches. They won because Joe Burrow is a "cool customer" who doesn't care about getting hit, and Evan McPherson—"Money Mac"—had ice water in his veins. That 19-16 win over Tennessee was the moment the rest of the world realized this wasn't just a fluke.
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That Second Half in Kansas City
The AFC Championship game is where things got truly weird. At halftime, the Bengals were down 21-3. Most people—myself included—were ready to turn off the TV and go get a snack. Patrick Mahomes was playing like a god. Arrowhead Stadium was vibrating. It felt like the inevitable end of a fun little run.
Then, Lou Anarumo, the Bengals' defensive coordinator, did something brilliant. He stopped blitzing. He dropped eight men into coverage and basically dared Mahomes to be patient. It broke the Chiefs' brain. Mahomes went from looking like an MVP to looking completely lost in the second half.
Cincinnati clawed back. Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson started getting home. B.J. Hill snagged a massive interception. By the time it got to overtime, the momentum had shifted so violently it felt like the Chiefs were the underdogs. When Vonn Bell picked off Mahomes in OT, the silence in Kansas City was deafening. McPherson kicked the game-winner, danced a little, and the Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl 2022 ticket was officially punched.
The Night in Inglewood: Super Bowl LVI Reality
So, what actually happened at SoFi Stadium?
The game started with a lot of nerves. Odell Beckham Jr. was killing the Bengals early until he went down with a non-contact knee injury. That changed the math for the Rams' offense. For a long stretch in the third quarter, it actually looked like Cincinnati was going to pull it off. Tee Higgins caught a 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the half (we won't talk about the uncalled face mask on Jalen Ramsey, but Bengals fans definitely remember it).
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The score was 20-13. The Bengals had the lead. The defense was holding.
But then, the offensive line issues finally caught up. Aaron Donald is a human wrecking ball. There is no other way to describe him. In the fourth quarter, he and Von Miller decided they weren't going to let Burrow breathe. Cooper Kupp, the Triple Crown winner, did what he does best—he found space when it mattered most. That final drive by the Rams was a masterclass in "star power." Stafford just kept feeding Kupp.
The Bengals had one last chance. Fourth and one. 39 seconds left. Burrow dropped back, Donald got through the line in about half a second, and Burrow had to heave a desperation pass that fell incomplete.
It was over. 23-20.
Why it wasn't a "Failure"
- Market Shift: Small-market teams usually have to build through the draft for a decade to get a sniff of the Lombardi. The Bengals did it in two years.
- Culture Change: Zac Taylor went from the hot seat to a local hero. The "Bungles" nickname was officially buried in the backyard of Paul Brown Stadium.
- Financial Impact: The run spurred massive investments in the stadium and the surrounding "Banks" district in Cincinnati.
Lessons from the 2022 Run
A lot of teams try to replicate what the Bengals did. They think if they just get a star QB and a star WR, they’re set. But the real lesson of the Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl 2022 season was about grit and opportunistic defense. They weren't the best team statistically in the NFL that year. Not by a long shot. They were, however, the most resilient.
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They won three straight games by one possession in the playoffs. That requires a level of mental toughness that you can't coach. It also requires a kicker who doesn't miss a single field goal in the entire postseason. McPherson went 14-for-14. If he misses even one of those against Tennessee or KC, we aren't even having this conversation.
Moving Forward: What to Do With This Info
If you're looking at the Bengals now or studying how to build a winning team, don't just look at the highlight reels.
First, evaluate the "clutch factor" over the "efficiency factor." The Bengals proved that being elite in the red zone and on third down matters more than total yardage. Second, realize that a window can open and close faster than you think. The Bengals haven't made it back to the big game since 2022, proving that you have to capitalize on the moment.
If you're a fan or a collector, keep an eye on the memorabilia from this specific era. The 2021-22 season was the "birth" of Joe Cool. Items like Burrow's rookie cards or Super Bowl LVI programs have held their value because that season represents the greatest turnaround in modern NFL history.
Study the defensive schemes Lou Anarumo used against Mahomes in that AFC Championship game. It’s still being used as a blueprint today by teams trying to slow down high-powered offenses. The "drop eight" coverage is now a staple of the NFL's tactical evolution.
Take a look at the current Bengals roster and compare the offensive line depth to what they had in February 2022. You'll see exactly where the front office learned their hardest lesson. They spent the next three years trying to fix the one mistake that cost them a ring: protection. If you're building a project or a business, remember that your greatest strength (like the Burrow-Chase connection) can only take you as far as your greatest weakness (the O-line) allows.
Check the 2021 season stats compared to 2023 and 2024. You'll see that while the Bengals became a more "consistent" team later on, they never quite recaptured the chaotic magic of that 2022 run. Sometimes, being the underdog is the greatest advantage a team can have. They had no pressure, nothing to lose, and a quarterback who looked like he was having the time of his life.