CINCINNATI — NFL Films just hit Bengals fans right in the feels. With Championship Weekend kicking off in less than 48 hours, the league’s official production arm posted a gut-wrenching flashback clip of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins soaking in the emotion of a past title game. The caption? “Championship weekend brings the waterworks.”
Let’s clear the air: The Cincinnati Bengals are not playing this weekend. After a rough 6-11 finish to the 2025 season, Joe Burrow and his squad are watching from the couch (or Cancun, as Chase joked recently). But this video isn’t about today’s roster—it’s about the raw, unfiltered intensity of the AFC Championship.
The clip likely dates back to the Bengals’ historic 2021 run or their 2022 showdown against Kansas City. It shows Chase and Higgins side-by-side, helmets off, tears welling up—a reminder that in January, grown men cry. It’s the kind of passion that defined their Super Bowl trip and exactly the energy the NFL wants to sell ahead of Sunday’s clashes.
“I wasn’t trying to let Tee go, for me… The whole game slows down for me when he’s out there.” — Ja’Marr Chase, on his bond with Higgins (March 2025)
Seeing Chase and Higgins emotional on the timeline stings a bit more given the current reality. While the New England Patriots face the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams battle the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday, Cincinnati is in full offseason mode.
Despite the team’s struggles, the dynamic duo isn’t going anywhere. Both stars signed massive extensions in March 2025, locking them in for the long haul. Chase even snagged another Pro Bowl nod this year after racking up 1,256 yards. The talent is there. The emotion is there. They just need to get back to the big dance.
For now, Bengals fans have to settle for nostalgia. Sunday’s games will determine who heads to Super Bowl LX, but this viral clip serves as a warning to the remaining four teams: The pressure of Championship Weekend breaks even the toughest players. Expect tears, whether they’re from the Patriots, Broncos, Rams, or Seahawks. The stakes don’t get higher than this.
