CINCINNATI — Cincinnati residents will find out on June 16 if the city won a bid to host FIFA World Cup soccer matches in the summer of 2026, according to the Associated Press.

A winning bid wouldn’t just be a boost for soccer fans; it could also benefit the Cincinnati Bengals.

That’s because World Cup matches would be played at Paul Brown Stadium, which will be 26 years old by game time. The facility is already considered middle aged by NFL standards.

As the Bengals begin negotiations with Hamilton County over a new lease, expensive upgrades to the stadium could be a sticking point. County officials say taxpayers may be more willing to pay for stadium upgrades if they also benefit the World Cup.

“The county will be keen on honing in to where the overlap is, and then perhaps prioritizing those enhancements because they serve a dual purpose and it’s more bang for the buck,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus. “A lot of it is the same kind of stuff that we’re going to be thinking about anyway. And that’s intentional.”

A delegation of FIFA officials visited Cincinnati last October and toured Paul Brown Stadium as part of its nationwide vetting of potential host cities. The stadium's seating capacity is more than 60,000 and it was designed to transition to a soccer field from a football field.

“When Paul Brown Stadium was built there was an expectation that soccer might be played in that stadium. So, we have the capability, pretty easily, to remove the corners to widen that field and also to remove those seats so that they’re not in the way,” Driehaus said.

FIFA had been expected to announce the winning World Cup host cities in April, but their decision was delayed by some late information and the addition of Vancouver as a potential host.

“You’ve got three countries in the mix, and you’ve got the World Cup organizers who will want to spread it out a little bit,” said Kevin Reichard, publisher of Football Stadium Digest and Soccer Stadium Digest.

World Cup games will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico with games in all three countries. In all, 16 U.S. metro areas are competing to be among the 10 or 11 hosts for matches.

Major cities such as Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Dallas, Boston and Philadelphia are in the running. But Cincinnati is vying to host games in the earlier rounds of the tournament and competing against regional cities such as Kansas City, Nashville and Denver.

Julio Cortez/AP

Several national rankings placed Cincinnati as a long shot to win World Cup matches. Some gave low marks to Paul Brown Stadium, noting that other stadiums are newer, hold more fans and have domes to protect against heat and storms.

A report in February by 42Floors, a branch of California-based real estate data firm Yardi, ranked Cincinnati as 7^th among the then 17 cities vying to host World Cup matches.

The report gave high marks to Cincinnati for its soccer team training facilities and fan fest venues at The Banks and Sawyer Park, and decent scores for its airport proximity and number of hotel rooms.

But the report ranked Paul Brown Stadium as 16^th out of the then 17 competing cities, noting that FIFA places significant emphasis on stadiums in its selection.

Paul Brown Stadium is already under the microscope. The Bengals’ lease with Hamilton County expires in 2026 and negotiations over expensive stadium upgrades have already begun.

The Bengals and the county hired Gensler Sports to evaluate Paul Brown Stadium. The architecture and design firm revealed the results of its capital assessment during an April 26 meeting. It called for extensive repairs over the next two decades to the stadium, which opened in 2000.

The price tag for those repairs is $493 million (in 2021 dollars) focusing largely on repairing and painting steel connections and frames; fixing concrete stair landings; replacing stadium seats and light fixtures; upgrading electric and plumbing; and stopping frequent water leaks.

Emily Gibney

The assessment, paid for by the county and the Bengals, specifically mentioned that stadium upgrades could help win the World Cup.

“It should be noted that recent improvements and renovations that result from the information in this assessment report will significantly contribute to local efforts in securing large scale events such as World Cup,” according to the capital assessment summary.

A second round of potential upgrades to Paul Brown Stadium will be revealed this fall – likely $200 million more in fan enhancements such as mega suites, luxury lounges, high-end food and drink, easier stadium entry, and new signs and scoreboards.

Dwayne Slavey

County officials have not said which updates they will pay for or what their potential budget is.

But, in anticipation of the World Cup bid and for the Bengals, county officials have already started to upgrade the Wi-Fi connectivity at Paul Brown Stadium.

“What can we offer by way of that bid to make it enticing for the World Cup to come here … and these are things that are already on the table, so let’s do that,” Driehaus said.

FIFA also requires that World Cup games be played on grass, so the Bengals’ turf field will have to be removed if Cincinnati wins the bid.

“I’m very positive that we may be selected because we have tried so hard to adjust to what they are saying they need,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas. “I’ve heard the Bengals may possibly want to keep the grass (field) so we may not have to go back and forth … with the renovations.”

Phil Didion | WCPO file

Also on the county’s radar: adding automated signs to streets during games to alleviate traffic congestion and recommend better routes to parking areas and gates, Dumas said.

Reichard, the publisher of the stadium digests, said FIFA likely won’t require a long list of upgrades to Paul Brown Stadium because soccer’s world governing body is most concerned about the volume of seating.

“World Cup officials tend to stress just sheer numbers in terms of how many fans they can cram into the stadium. It’s not a high-end sort of play for a stadium, it’s more of a ‘how many butts can we fit into a space,’” Reichard said. “They also want to make sure that there’s plenty of amenities and hotel rooms for the fans as well … so it’s not necessarily a stadium-facility issue, it’s more a matter of logistics for a big event.”

Cincinnati may not win a World Cup bid because of Paul Brown Stadium, but Joe Cobbs, a professor of sports business at Northern Kentucky University, hopes the city doesn’t lose it because of the stadium.

Darko Bandic/AP

“I think our goal should be to try and renovate the stadium in a way that doesn’t eliminate us from that conversation solely because of the stadium,” Cobbs said. “I don’t think we’re going to win the bid based on our stadium, that’s just not going to happen … but hopefully the city could win the World Cup bid based on other aspects.”

Rick Eckstein, a national stadium expert and sociology professor at Villanova University, said FIFA uses an incredibly complex algorithm to select World Cup host cities.

And once FIFA makes a decision, it will only say why it chose the winning host cities. It never says why it didn’t select certain cities, Eckstein said.

If Cincinnati isn’t chosen, the reasons why, “could be manipulated and will be manipulated,” Eckstein said.

“I can imagine there are even some people who might appreciate being turned down for the World Cup,” Eckstein said. “Because now it would be an added motivator to say, ‘now look what happened, we’ve got this third-grade stadium, we can’t even get the World Cup.’”

CINCINNATI —

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion when he was tackled in the Thursday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

His status on when he returns to the field remains unknown.

Tua remained on the turf for several minutes before he was rushed to University Medical Center, the area's only level one trauma center.

Former Bengals player Mike Martin said, even though it was a legal hit, it is a reminder of the dangers in the game.

“When you get in a situation like that with a big defensive lineman who can bring most mortals down like they are rag dolls. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't go back, look at that and come up with a fine,” Martin said.

There was already controversy about whether Tagovailoa should have been on the field at all last night because of an injury he suffered in a previous game.

Miami Dolphin's coach Mike McDaniel said Friday that Tagovailoa was cleared by several layers of medical professionals during that game and did not have a head injury.

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CINCINNATI —

Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field during the game against the Bengals in Cincinnati, the team said.

After making a tackle after a catch by Tee Higgins, Hamlin stood up for a brief moment before falling over onto the turf.

The 24-year-old safety was down on the turf for 16 minutes, before he was lifted on to a stretcher and into an ambulance.

The Buffalo Bills gave an update overnight Tuesday, saying Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following the tackle. The team says Hamlin's heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition, the team said.

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Other Bills' players gathered around Hamlin on the field and knelt in prayer.

“No one’s been through this,” longtime NFL quarterback Troy Aikman said on the ESPN telecast. “I’ve never seen anything like it, either.”

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After about 21 minutes, officials temporarily suspended the game until further notice. Just before 10 p.m., ESPN confirmed the game was officially suspended.

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement saying that the league is in agreement with postponing the game until a later date.

Hamlin, 24, spent five years of college at Pitt -- his hometown -- and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.

He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this year once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.

Entering the game, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.

A tweet from the Pitt football account was simple and clear: “Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3,” the tweet said, referring to Hamlin by his college jersey number. “Praying for you.”

Bills' player Stefon Diggs arrived at the hospital shortly after 11 p.m. to visit his teammate. Diggs and Hamlin played college football together and are huge supporters of each other's careers.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

DAYTON, Ky. —

It's that time of year again. Bengals Nation is gearing up for the team's Super Bowl run and that is especially true in one city in northern Kentucky.

Dayton Mayor Ben Baker, issued a proclamation on Wednesday renaming the city as Who Deyton, Kentucky.

This is the second consecutive year the city of Dayton has changed its' name to honor the NFL team during the playoffs.

“Last year, after the Bengals won their first playoff game, we decided to rename our city as Who Deyton as a fun way to celebrate the Bengals’ first post-season victory in many years with our residents and the rest of the Who Deyton Nation,” Baker said. “Being a little superstitious, we thought, if it worked last year, why not try again this year."

This year’s proclamation also recognizes the city’s past history with the Bengals.

In 1937, the original Cincinnati Bengals professional football team held its first workout at Tacoma Park and its first scrimmage game on Sept. 27, 1937, before 2,000 fans at Dayton’s O.W. Davis Field.

The field still serves as the home of the Dayton High School Green Devils football team.

Other landmarks in Dayton have also shown support for the Bengals franchise.

The city changed the color of the city’s logo from green to orange, changed the home page of its website, installed exterior lights at city hall to illuminate the building in orange, and posted a “Who Deyton, Let’s Go Bengals” sign at the entrance to the city.

CINCINNATI —

A close bond between two family members is growing stronger through the Bengals.

On Sunday, they were sent to the home playoff game for free. Now, this priceless experience is living on forever.

Lucas Lauer is a huge Bengals fan. He witnessed history on Sunday.

"To see everybody watching and then just some of the plays everybody jumped up. It was really cool," Lauer said.

Lauer and his godfather, Michael Seiter received free tickets to watch Sunday's game after a donor heard about their heartwarming story.

"I wish that every Bengals fan had an opportunity to go through that and be part of that night," Seiter said.

Lauer lost his dad, Brian, to cancer in March 2020. He's using this opportunity to make new memories with the person who's been by his side through all of the hardships.

"It was a really good bonding experience. A real surprise. I didn't think I'd get to go to a regular season game, let alone a playoff game, but it's really great," Lauer said.

"It's like a picture on the wall. It's never going to go away. I'm never going to forget it," Seiter said.

As Lauer and Seiter look back on their picture-perfect night at Paycor, one thing remains true.

"Miracles do happen and there's some really good people out there who are willing to help," Lauer said.

CINCINNATI —

Greater Cincinnati native and Bengals' former second-round pick is stepping up and filling the gaps on the offensive line.

The Bengals were without two starting offensive linemen during Sunday's divisional playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Jackson Carman, a starter off and on during his rookie year, was pushed into service at left tackle during the Wild Card game against the Baltimore Ravens. After a week of reps and preparation, the hometown kid came out of the game Sunday, ready to play.

His high school football coach Jason Krause was in the stands of Highmark Stadium, watching alongside Carman's family.

"I'm so proud of him," Krause said.

A chapter of Carman's story took place inside Fairfield high school's weight room. Krause commanded Carman's focus, mental toughness, dedication, and hardworking nature to where he is today.

"He's one of the brightest kids I've coached," Krause said. "There's no doubt about that."

Krause and the star offensive lineman have a bond that cannot be measured by yards on a football field; the two are like family.

"He was a huge part of our program over the last 12 years," Krause said. "I saw Jackson's development from middle school all the way through."

Carman's sophomore year of high school, the college offers started pouring in, and ultimately, he chose to go to the University of Clemson.

Krause has pictures of Carman playing college football in Fairfield's football team's locker room.

After college, the Greater Cincinnati Kid was selected with the 46th pick of the 2021 draft. While watching the draft alongside his family members, including Coach Krause, Carman received a call from a 513 area code, and he was chosen by his hometown team, the Bengals.

His transition into playing professional ball was much like the game of football; tough and challenging at times.

"He came into this year playing some right guard and left guard and had opportunities early," Krause said. "You know, he didn't win that job."

Tackling adversity, Carman kept his nose to the grindstone and never gave up. He was then called on to step up at the biggest of stages at Highmark Stadium during the AFC Divisional Playoffs. He played his natural spot at left tackle, and during the game, Joe Burrow was sacked once all game.

His Bengals OL Coach Frank Pollack embraced Carman, and Coach Krause watched the game with pride.

"He got his shot and made the best of it," Krause said. "Yesterday, I found myself in the stands, not watching who was catching passes or what was going on in the game. Instead, I was a coach in the box, focusing on his every play and effort. I wanted to make sure he was doing his job. I felt like he had a really good day."

CINCINNATI —

The Bengals will keep their same uniform for their matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend.

White jerseys, white pants with black stripes and black socks. The team will keep their signature orange helmets for the game.

It's the same jersey/helmet combination the team wore last year against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

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The Bengals defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-10 in the divisional round of the playoffs. Now, players and fans turn their sets to Kansas City for the second year in a row.

This time though, the betting odds show a near-dead even split between the two teams.

According to ESPN, the opening odds favored the Chiefs by 3 points over the reigning AFC Champions, but after thirty minutes of betting, the odds shifted to favor the Bengals by 1 point. At the end of the day, the odds settled on the Chiefs by 1 point.

The Bengals are running a 10-game winning streak into the game, including a 27-24 victory against the Chiefs at Paycor Stadium in December. The Chiefs have also not lost a game since then.

The Bengals have gone 8-1 in the white jersey/orange helmet combo since unveiling it last year.

CINCINNATI —

Cheers as loud as Paycor Stadium when Bengals Punter Drue Chrisman entered the gymnasium of his former grade school on Tuesday.

There were plenty of "Who Deys" to go around, including handmade signs by students for their favorite Bengals player.

"It was incredible. It's always great to come back and you know really remember where you grew up and where you came from," Chrisman said.

It's hard for Chrisman to forget his roots, especially since he still lives just five minutes from St. Lawrence. He still works at his dad's fireworks shop from time to time.

"I walked in the door and I recognized four faces immediately," he said.

The 6-foot, 3-inch tall punter was hard to miss for the excited students, teachers and staff who work at the K-8th grade school.

Some faculty members said they could never forget his days playing around and kicking the ball during recess.

"I'd look at him and say, 'Drue why do you keep kicking a ball up on the roof' and he'd say, 'Oh Mrs. Weller,' and he'd just turn and walk away," Loretta Weller, St. Lawrence Librarian Media Specialist said. "As time went on, all that time kicking the balls up on St. Lawrence roof, proved him to be a good punter."

Chrisman put those skills to good use twice during last Sunday's divisional game against the Buffalo Bills.

Looking ahead, Chrisman said he's keeping his cool for what could be his first Super Bowl run as NFL starter.

"I'm still a kid in a way. I'm still playing a kid's sport for a king's ransom at this point," Chrisman said.

SPRINGBORO, Ohio —

Who Dey Nation comes in all ages. A local elementary school showed their stripes and love for the home team with a spirit day and school parade for the Bengals.

Springboro Schools held a district wide spirit day on Friday to celebrate the Bengals' playoff run and upcoming AFC Championship game.

Clearcreek Elementary led the charge with their very own "Who Dey Parade". Students marched through the halls where staff from grades Pre-K to 1st wore their favorite Bengals gear.

Check out some of the pictures below.

Students and staff across the district brought out their orange and black stripes, their jerseys to help the Bengals chase down after victory.

CINCINNATI —

Four-time Pro Bowl tackle and Super Bowl champ Orlando Brown Jr. has signed a four-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.

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The deal, initially reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Wednesday, was made official by the Bengals Friday afternoon.

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In his initial report, Pelissero said Brown was signing a deal worth $64.092 million front-loaded deal with the Bengals that includes an over $31 million signing bonus.

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It would be the largest contract ever for an offensive lineman. Pelissero said Brown’s agent, Michael Portner, confirmed the deal.

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The move comes after the Bengals' roster has seen some major changes including TE Hayden Hurst and S Von Bell who will both reportedly sign with the Carolina Panthers.

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Germaine Pratt re-signed with Cincinnati for a three-year, $21 million deal. A third-round pick by the Bengals in the 2019 draft, Pratt recorded career bests in interceptions (two) and total tackles (99) and tackle assists (49). His 99 total tackles were second on the team, behind only Logan Wilson, and his 49 assists were the most on the squad, nine ahead of Wilson's 40.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. —

After the Bengals AFC Championship Game win, everyone was wondering if C.J. Uzomah would be playing in the Super Bowl following his knee injury.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that Uzomah is on track to play in the Super Bowl on Sunday and that’s also the case for every other player on the active roster.

Uzomah sprained his MCL during the AFC Championship Game and was unable to practice until Thursday this week.

According to the Bengals injury report, Uzomah was a full participant in practice on Friday, but is still listed as questionable.

Guard Jackson Carman was the only other Bengals player to have anything less than full practice participation this week.

He was limited Wednesday before going full the last two days, but Zac Taylor has not said whether he or Hakeem Adenjii will be starting at right guard on Sunday.

Defensive end Cam Sample, defensive tackle Josh Tupou and wide receiver Stanley Morgan were on the list this week.

All three players are considered healthy enough to play this weekend.

Something notable to point out is that if the Bengals don't call up a tight end from the practice squad, then it's most certain that C.J. Uzomah will be playing in the big game on Sunday.

CENTERVILLE, Ohio — Dave Berk's pinned tweet about the start of Joe Burrow's college football recruiting journey has 5,165 retweets and nearly 33,000 likes since Dec. 14, 2019 — the night Burrow won the Heisman Trophy.

"People find it all the time," said Berk, a longtime Ohio high school football analyst. "Someone called me the other day and said, 'Hey I saw your tweet on ESPN.'"

Berk's tweet more than two years ago is often cited by national media outlets and is still a reminder of Burrow's journey from Athens High School to quarterback of the Super Bowl-bound Cincinnati Bengals.

Every high school football player with dreams of playing in college and beyond has to start somewhere. Burrow was no different.

"I was wondering if there were any specific camps I should go to to help get my name out there because I'm not really getting any attention," the Athens junior quarterback wrote Berk in a direct message Dec. 18, 2013.

A few weeks earlier, Burrow lost a playoff game to Marion-Franklin during a cold night in Southeast Ohio.

Berk, a Centerville resident, and Columbus-based photographer Scott Reed made the drive to watch Burrow play quarterback and line up as a defensive back in press coverage.

"As soon as he put the helmet on and he strapped it up, he was making plays," Reed said. "We were just looking at each other going, 'Wow, how did he make that pass?' "It was phenomenal what he was doing."

Scott Reed/SR Action Photography

Before that playoff game, Berk heard critics who claimed Burrow was putting up significant offensive stats against weak competition in an area of the state that often gets overlooked by some college football programs.

Berk and Reed didn't accept the negativity. They were impressed with Burrow's ability to stretch the pocket, throw across his body and simply make plays.

"A lot of the things that you don't see in young quarterbacks he could do, and a lot of things people talk about now I saw that night," Berk said. "He just had the 'it' factor is the best way to explain it."

Berk is convinced Burrow's work ethic had a significant impact in high school and throughout his college career, from Ohio State University to Louisiana State University.

So it was no surprise to hear Burrow this week discussing his advice to young athletes as he prepares for the Super Bowl.

"Don't go have a workout and post it on Instagram the next day and then go sit on your butt for four days and everyone thinks you're working hard but you're really not," Burrow told reporters. "Work in silence. Don't show everybody what you're doing."

That mentality as the son of former Ohio University assistant coach Jimmy Burrow was evident to Berk and to college recruiters. The patience and persistence paid off.

"When he sent me the original message my response to him was basically, 'Hey you just need to do what you're doing,'" Berk said. "And there is going to be opportunities for him in places like the Elite 11, the Nike combines and camps but the most important thing was the college camps."

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Less than a month after Burrow's direct message, he told Berk he received his first scholarship offer from Western Michigan in January 2014. Central Michigan, Fresno State, University of Cincinnati and West Virginia soon followed. Big Ten and Southeastern Conference programs were among those not far behind with scholarship offers, too.

Later that year, Burrow led Athens to the Division III state final as a senior at Ohio Stadium and eventually won Ohio Mr. Football before signing with Ohio State.

"I always felt Joe's talent was a different talent," Berk said. "And it's not just pure athleticism where you can throw the football and how far you can throw it, what velocity and all that. It's the understanding."

"People are seeing that now," Berk said. "What he's showing people now, he was showing in high school early glimpses of it."

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CINCINNATI —

Don Everett is a Cincinnati Bengals fan determined to take as much Who Dey spirit with him as possible when he leaves Cincinnati in a couple days and returns to his adopted hometown near Denver.

"I got a local bar in Parker, Colorado, that has turned out to be a Cincinnati Super Bowl bar for this one," Everett said.

The bar's owner asked Everett, in the Queen City on a business trip, to bring back whatever he can to make Sunday's showdown against the Los Angeles Rams special.

"The bar is, like, bring me all the jerseys, bring me all the decorations, bring everything you can bring me," Everett said.

That's turned out to be a tall order.

"We got here on Saturday. You couldn’t find anything," Everett said.

Finding food for the perfect party can also be a challenge.

"It seems like everyone ran out of everything on Super Bowl week," Victor Visciani said. "Probably because everyone's ordering everything on Super Bowl week."

Visciani helps run the Holy Grail at The Banks. He said demand for staples like chicken wings means restaurant and bar owners have had to adapt.

"We've had to go with different food options that we didn't go with before, things like that," Visciani said. "So you can find a way around it. It's just a little bit harder than it has been in the past and especially during Super Bowl week."

The fact businesses are being forced to adapt comes as no surprise to Chuck Sox, who studies supply chains in his role at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business.

"It's concentrated in Cincinnati, in particular, this year, for obvious reasons," Sox said. "Your local store might run out of your favorite brand of beer or might run out of chicken wings. So, you know, it's just important for us to get out early and shop around, see what we can find."

Fortunately, Sox said from an industry standpoint the nation's supply chain is improving and that in-demand food items are generally available. But he said local lines of supply could remain tight since so many Bengals fans are in the market for so many similar items.

CINCINNATI — Have you said to yourself during the past two weeks: "I wish I would have placed a bet on the Bengals to go to the Super Bowl at the start of the season."

One fan did - a Cincinnati radio DJ who could cash in if the Bengals win Super Bowl 56.

Ryan Jacobs is the overnight DJ at Cincinnati's B105 country radio. In another week, he might be able to add another title to that: Super Bowl money winner.

"We were talking last summer so five of us went in betting $60," Jacobs said. "I put in $20, everyone else put $10 in, and for the $60 we could win $12,000."

Think about it: back in July when the Bengals were predicted to finish last in the AFC North - behind those experienced, playoff proven teams like Cleveland, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh - Jacobs and 4 co-workers bet $60 at a Vegas sports book that Cincinnati would go to the Super Bowl.

The odds were 80-to-1.

Only the sad-sack Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans had lower odds. After all, everyone knew Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (or was it Aaron Rogers and the Packers?) would be winning it all this year.

If the Bengals win, Jacobs stands to win just over $4,000 for his portion of the ticket. His colleagues will each win around $1,900.

What if he had put down more money?

Jacobs said his only regret is that he didn't put down the full $60 himself.

If he had done that, or put down $100 on the Bengals to win, it might have netted him $20,000 (or enough to buy him a boat, as Chris Janson sang in a recent country song).

Despite the lost opportunities, Jacobs said he isn't greedy.

"When they won last weekend, I went to the refrigerator where I had this hanging," grabbing his stub for his bet. "And I said 'I am that much closer to winning 12,000.'"

One downside for Jacobs: Since he started talking about his bet, several other co-workers have asked if they can get in on the ticket.

But that's like asking a lottery winner if you can get in on his ticket, after he won the Powerball. Sorry, that doesn't happen.

As always don't waste your money.

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Milwaukee police Officer Herbert Davis was shot by a suspect Thursday night.

Now, his family has started fundraising to send him to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.

It's no secret he's a big Cincinnati Bengals fan.

Davis, 26, wore his gear when he was released from the hospital Friday.

His family shared video with WISN 12 showing Davis watch the end of the Bengals-Chiefs game Sunday night.

We all know the Bengals kicked a last-minute field goal to give them the victory and send them to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989.

Davis got emotional watching the kick and score.

His family started a GoFundMe page to help raise the money needed.

Their goal is $25,000.

"Physically, he will heal," his sister wrote on the page. "Our family knows the healing process doesn't end with physical capabilities. He has a long haul ahead. He started as a police aide at 19 years old and has 7 years of service. Herb is a hero. He will forever hold that title."

The page said Davis' fiancee is also part of the MPD family.

Funds raised will also help with family travel and medical expenses.

"Go Bengals!!! Thank you for all the love and support he's been given," Davis' sister wrote.

Super Bowl LVI is Feb. 13. The Bengals will play the San Francisco 49ers.

The suspect charged with shooting Davis remains in the Milwaukee County Jail on $1 million cash bail.

NEW RICHMOND, Ohio —

A little boy from New Richmond has the spirit of a tiger. He's the Bengals biggest, smallest fan and despite a critical condition, he does not let that stop him from rooting on his team.

When you're a kid fighting just to feel good, to feel like all the other kids your age, the little things make all the difference.

"I knew we'd be good but I didn't think we'd be like AFC championship bound or anything like that," River Blank said.

So even when the team wasn't selling merchandise and fans weren't jumping on the bandwagon, 10-year-old River Blank was still a huge fan.

"No, I was just used to it when we kept on losing," Blank said.

River Blank has met players and gotten balls signed. Former cornerback Darqueze Dennard even gave him his shoes.

"This is his focus. Before he even comes downstairs in the morning, he's checking stats," River's mom Amanda Blank said.

River Blank was born with infantile scoliosis.

"When he was 6 months old, about the time he started to sit up, we noticed he kind of sat with a lean," Amanda Blank said. "And about a week later he started casting within a week."

For most of his life, he's worn casts — 31 of them so far — to try and straighten his back. The orange and black one is his favorite.

River Blank has been through five surgeries and even though he's out of the casts now, the road isn't going to be easy. There are more surgeries and more months in the hospital.

"He doesn't let it bother him at all," Amanda Blank said. "Seeing him figure it all out makes it easier for us. And we always say there's kids out there who are going through way worse and there are parents who are going through way worse, I feel like we're kind of lucky."

But River has a whole lot of Who Dey faith in himself and his hometown team.

"I think we're gonna win the AFC championship and not just go all the way here for nothing," River Blank said. "Burrow's used to it. He played in the SEC in college and that's louder than Arrowhead."

CINCINNATI — People in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are not the only ones glued to their screens this weekend for the Bengals game. Fans from all over the world will be watching the team take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday.

“I think when you start supporting your team, they're kind of with you for life really,” said Paul Hirons, a Bengals fan in the UK.

Hirons started following the team in the 1980’s.

“The NFL had just started to kind of get a bit of a cult following over here,” he said.

In 2014, he helped launch the team’s UK fan group, which hosts meetups, online tailgates, weekly podcasts and chili cook-offs.

He’s not the only international fan cheering “Who Dey” this weekend.

In Brazil, Andre Morelli Faria has been rooting for the Bengals for the past ten years. His passion for the team started after he connected with a pen pal in Northern Kentucky.

“It’s funny because someday you meet someone from a city that you barely heard,” he said. “And you decide to watch some games of the local football team and then you fall in love with them.”

He said his dream is to visit the United States and watch the Bengals play.

“I can say that my heart is part from Ohio,” he said.

It’s a connection that Hirons feels too.

“Once you start supporting a team that's kind of 5000 miles away, you want to know more about the city, the people, the traditions and the coaches,” Hirons said. “And since that moment since the mid-80s, there's an emotional connection with Cincinnati.”

CINCINNATI — While there might not be "a ton to do in Cincinnati," the city has had some great sports moments in 2021.

The Bearcats smashed college football’s glass ceiling by becoming the first school from a so-called “Group of Five” conference to advance to the sport's four-team playoff.

While in many ways it was the year of the Bearcat, several other highlights happened in Cincinnati sports this year.

Joe Burrow returned from a knee injury earlier than most believed possible. He and former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase have the Bengals in the hunt for the postseason for the first time since 2015. Chase, defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Joe Mixon were named to the Pro Bowl (with Burrow and four others named alternates).

The Bengals also debuted new stripes for the franchise’s first new look since 2004.

Despite a renaissance season from Joey Votto and all-star nods for outfielders Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker, the Reds failed to make the postseason, running out of gas in September.

The sport shut down in December as the owners locked out the players. The strike season of 1994 was the last time baseball has experienced a work stoppage.

While it may feel like the year of the Bearcat, it was not Cincinnati's day at Cintas Center earlier this month. Xavier beat UC 83-63 in the Crosstown Shootout.

FC Cincinnati opened TQL Stadium this year, but only won once in the West End. The new stadium did welcome back Cincinnati native Rose Lavelle, who scored in the fourth minute in the USWNT's game against Paraguay this September. The Mount Notre Dame graduate also assisted two goals in the 8-0 win.

The Western and Southern Open returned to Mason after a year away due to the pandemic.

Three Tri-state football teams celebrated state championships — Winton Woods, Beechwood and Clinton-Massie. The Warriors routed Akron Archbishop Hoban to capture their second championship ever, while the Tigers and Falcons won close games to earn their hardware.

Mount Notre Dame basketball brought home its eighth state title, while the school's soccer team won its first state championship ever in November.

Trenton native Zach Apple won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics while swimming the anchor leg on the United States men's 4x100m freestyle relay team. Apple, Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni and Becker won the race in 3 minutes, 8.97 seconds, the third-fastest time in history.

The year isn’t over. UC football continues its run to a national title on New Year’s Eve against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.

RELATED: Clinton-Massie wins state title in miraculous fashion
RELATED: Joe Burrow on why team avoided COVID outbreak: 'Fortunately there's not a ton to do in Cincinnati'

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens put quarterback Tyler Huntley on the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, leaving them without their top two QBs for Sunday’s showdown at Cincinnati for first place in the AFC North.

Lamar Jackson missed last week’s game with a sprained ankle, and the Ravens announced this weekend that he would not travel with the team. Huntley played well in Jackson’s place in last weekend’s loss to Green Bay, but now Josh Johnson is the team’s top healthy quarterback.

The Ravens signed the 35-year-old journeyman Johnson before last week’s game. He appeared in three games earlier this season for the New York Jets.

It’s been one major blow after another for the Ravens ever since running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards went down with season-ending knee injuries before the season even began. Baltimore has more than a dozen players on injured reserve and several more on the COVID-19 list.

The Ravens (8-6) have managed to hold at least a share of first place for almost the whole season, but they would fall out with a loss to the Bengals (8-6). Baltimore activated quarterback Kenji Bahar from the practice squad.

Cincinnati got back CB Chidobe Awuzie from the COVID-19 list, but also had to place two defensive linemen, D.J. Reader and Wyatt Ray, on that list.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has cleared the NFL’s COVID-19 testing protocol and will be on the sideline for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. The team said Sirianni returned to its facility on Saturday morning.

The Eagles (7-7) are hoping to secure a playoff spot with a strong finish to the season. They have won two in a row and four of five overall.

New York Jets coach Robert Saleh was ruled out for the game against the Jaguars because he didn’t clear COVID-19 protocols Saturday. Tight ends coach Ron Middleton will assume the head coaching duties.

Saleh tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday and needed to have two negative tests by Saturday afternoon to return to the sideline. The coach has been quarantining in a hotel while running team meetings remotely.

The first-year head coach said he called Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski earlier in the week to get some feedback on how he handled not being on the sideline twice because of COVID-19: a playoff game last season and the Browns’ 16-14 loss to Las Vegas last week.

“He said, ‘Well, everything is going to be fine. It’s all virtual anyway. You’re just going to miss practice, but Sunday is going to be miserable,’” Saleh said of his conversation with Stefanski. “So, I’m looking for misery.”

Quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese will miss the game because of COVID-19 protocols. Senior offensive assistant Matt Cavanaugh will assume Calabrese’s game-day duties.

The Jets have been hit particularly hard this week by a surge of COVID-19 cases. There were 18 players on the active and practice squad rosters — including injured reserve — on the COVID-19 list Saturday. They elevated tight end Dan Brown, wide receiver DJ Montgomery, offensive lineman Isaiah Williams, defensive lineman Ronnie Blair, linebacker LaRoy Reynolds and safety Elijah Benton from the practice squad.

RELATED: Joe Burrow on why team avoided COVID outbreak: 'Fortunately there's not a ton to do in Cincinnati'
RELATED: Three Bengals selected to Pro Bowl

CINCINNATI — Hopefully Joe Burrow will find Cincinnati more interesting in the new year thanks to mascot Who Dey.

The Bengals QB slighted the city's nightlife Wednesday while explaining how the team has avoided a massive COVID-19 outbreak this season.

"We've done a great job with our COVID protocols," Burrow said. "Fortunately, there's not a ton to do in Cincinnati, so nobody's going out to clubs and bars and getting COVID every weekend."

While he may have a point when comparing the Queen City to Chicago or Los Angeles, cities where teams have more than a dozen players on the COVID-19 protocol list, some Cincinnati residents (jokingly) took offense. Bengals great Chad Ochocinco Johnson fought against the allegations on Twitter.

"Joe Burrow said there’s not much to do in Cincinnati, i beg to differ, there’s a Starbucks downtown, a McDonald’s in Covington & a O’ Charley’s in Tri-County which in fact has the best complimentary bread known to man…" Johnson tweeted.

In an attempt to get Burrow out more, Who Dey gifted him "Secret Cincinnati: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" with a note on the front saying, "Things to do in Cincinnati."

"Guess I'm gonna have to read this, huh," Burrow said after finding the book in his locker.

UC alum Kevin Huber received a shirt commemorating Cincinnati's appearance in the Cotton Bowl — as did Alabama alum Jonah Williams. Ja'Marr Chase got UNO (for obvious reasons) while CJ Uzomah got...coal. Safe to say the Bengals are enjoying their Christmas.

RELATED: Joe Burrow on why team avoided COVID outbreak: 'Fortunately there's not a ton to do in Cincinnati'
RELATED: Three Bengals selected to Pro Bowl

MOUNT ORAB, Ohio — Western Brown junior quarterback Drew Novak moved up to No. 11 on the state's all-time single season passing yards list Friday night and surpassed Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in that high school football statistical category.

Novak has thrown for 4,466 yards and 50 touchdowns this season. He entered Friday night as the nation's top passing yards leader, according to MaxPreps.

Novak passed Burrow, an Athens High School product, on the Ohio High School Athletic Association record list for most passing yards in a season Friday night.

Burrow threw for 4,437 yards during his senior season at Athens High School in 2014, when he was named Ohio Mr. Football.

Novak, who is visiting Iowa State University today, was 28-of-42 passing for 343 yards and five touchdowns in the Broncos' 50-20 win over visiting Bellefontaine in a Division III, Region 11 quarterfinal Friday night.

Novak rushed 12 times for 111 yards, too. He has rushed 994 yards and 17 touchdowns overall this year.

Novak's 50 touchdown passes is also on the OHSAA list for most TD passes in a season.

Novak is No. 15 all-time in Ohio for most career passing yards (9,121) and is on the state list for most career passing touchdowns (90).

Western Brown coach Nick Osborne said Novak and the Broncos don't dwell on the stats, but the program is grateful for the recognition.

"It's cool for him and cool for the program," Osborne said.

"Kind of getting the Western Brown name out there again like it used to be. I think Drew is handling it really, really well and the kids are handling it well. Drew is just a very humble kid. He's a true leader and he doesn't care about the spotlight."

This is the first time the Western Brown football team has advanced to the third round of the playoffs, according to Osborne.

Western Brown (10-2) plays Jackson (10-2) in a Region 11 semifinal Nov. 12 at a neutral site. Western Brown defeated Jackson 33-28 on Sept. 10.

The Broncos persevered Friday night to reach the regional semifinals.

Western Brown trailed 20-14 at the end of the first quarter Friday night, but the Broncos scored 28 unanswered points in the second and third quarters.

The defense really played well after the first quarter, led by several players, Osborne said.

Other offensive leaders included junior Zachery Chisman who caught two touchdown passes and rushed for two scores. Senior Dylan Novak, Drew's brother, had seven receptions for 71 yards.

"To be able to come away with a 30-point victory in the second round is something special for our kids," Osborne said. "They've worked hard for it and it just shows you their hard work and their dedication they put in this offseason."

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals have signed former Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Riley Reiff, according to the team Friday morning.

The Bengals confirmed the news with an 8-second video posted to Twitter which shows Reiff and the word "Signed."

The Bengals seemingly confirmed the signing earlier Friday after they asked people on Twitter if they were "feeling Australian" with the hashtag #GreatBarrierReiff.

Reiff and some of the Bengals current players, including Joe Burrow and Sam Hubbard, had dinner Thursday night in an upstairs room of Jeff Ruby's Precinct.

"I walked away from eating that steak wanting to block for that guy," Reiff said. "I feel like I fit in here."

The veteran lineman should give Burrow some extra protection as he comes off of reconstructive knee surgery.

"Really impressed with [Joe Burrow]," Reiff said. "He looks great on film and he's even better off the field. Just the way he conducts himself. Down to earth. Cincinnati type guy. Tough. Midwestern. Blue collar."

Reiff was the 23rd overall draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2012 and played with them until 2015. In 2017, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings, and in 2018 he was named as one of the team's captains.

Former athletes with local ties call the latest move to pay for endorsement deals a win.

Starting July 1, Kentucky will allow companies to pay student-athletes to use their name, image or likeness. Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order enacting the change Thursday.

Former Cincinnati Bengals player Tim McGee said when he was in college at the University of Tennessee in the 1980s, he went hungry some nights.

“We had to eat prior to six o'clock. Once six o’clock was over, that's it. You didn't have any money, and me being from inner city, we didn't have the disposable income to provide extra money to myself and my sister," he said. "Where you knew the university was making all this money. And it just, it was just so, so, so unfair, and everyone knew it.”

Kentucky is the first in the Tri-State to enact the NIL rule. However, 19 states have passed similar legislation to allow compensation for student athletes.

Monday, the U.S. Supreme court issued a ruling that ended the NCAA limits on education-related benefits. In the past, the NCAA said its rules were in place, in part, to keep the sports amateur.

Attorney and sports agent Patrick McCarthey said the benefits will come into play for student-athletes in the form of commercials and business endorsements.

“You're going to see the super star quarterback get a car dealer, you’re going to see the All-American center get a grocery store,” he said.

He says Kentucky schools now have this as a recruiting tool. However, as other states follow suit, bigger universities could lose out to larger cities with more businesses.

For years, the NCAA has been developing a plan to allow students to accept endorsement deals with limits.

“The average fan goes, 'Well, he’s getting a free education," McGee said. "Well, you know, I always wanted someone to break down the number of hours and the hourly rate I’m getting deprived. And where else in America, the United States of America, can you give labor and get no compensation in return?”

Northern Kentucky University assistant athletic director Bryan McEldowney wrote:

"We are excited our Norse student-athletes will have the opportunity to generate revenue under Governor Beshear’s executive order based on their name, image and likeness. Today’s executive order creates a level playing field for our student-athletes and Northern Kentucky University with our peers – both in the Commonwealth of Kentucky as well as those in the Horizon League located in states which have laws in place. We have been actively preparing for NIL reform and will be ready to educate and prepare our student-athletes according to the dynamics of the executive order."

“We've been doing this a long time in terms of preparing our young people for the new world as they leave Kentucky," University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart told reporters Thursday. "Now, we've just fast tracked it so they're going to get a bigger idea of what it looks like while they're at Kentucky. I think it’s certainly a changing landscape.”