The city's Super Bowl runner-ups may have a new stadium name for the upcoming 2023 season.

A source confirmed to WLWT's Brandon Saho that the Bengals ownership is actively shopping the naming rights for Paul Brown Stadium.

This comes after a previous season in which the Bengals exploded into the national spotlight following a historic Super Bowl appearance.

Almost 22 years ago, Paul Brown Stadium opened for its first NFL game.

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The name, Paul Brown Stadium, is currently one of three NFL stadiums that do not have a corporate naming deal.

The other two are Soldier Field in Chicago and Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

A potential "new name" deal would not be possible without vote from both Hamilton County and City Hall of Cincinnati.

This is because Paul Brown Stadium is owned by the Hamilton County taxpayers, so both sides will have to vote on the potential deal.

Yet still, a name change could bring in a flux of new money to the team.

Recently, arch-rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, recently changed the name of "Heinz Field" to "Acrisure Stadium", after the insurance company bought the naming rights just a few weeks ago.

This is a breaking news story. WLWT will continue to update you with any new information.

Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow is set to miss the start of training camp to undergo surgery to have his appendix removed.

The surgery should not keep him sidelined for long. The common procedure should have Burrow back on the field for the start of the season, if not before that.

The news broke less than a day before the start of Bengals training camp. Tuesday, fans flocked to the Pro Shop to get their last-minute gear. It was there many heard about Burrow's condition.

"Appendix surgery, wow, this is the first I've heard of it," Ed Hoeweler said. "We got a good team, and he's a strong guy. He's a leader. He'll come back and bounce back. Hopefully, he'll get well soon."

Hoeweler has been going to games since the 70s when his dad was a season ticket holder. Keeping that tradition alive, Hoeweler now goes with his son. After last season's Superbowl heartbreak, he hopes this year will have a different ending.

"Hope for this year is making it to the Super Bowl and winning it," Hoeweler said.

Burrow's surgery does not cast doubt in Hoeweler's mind. He believes the star quarterback will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February.

"I'm sure as soon as he can step on the field, he'll be back," Hoeweler said.

Bengals fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief that the recovery time for an appendectomy is weeks, not months. Not to mention that the surgery comes before the season kicks off.

"Appendix surgeries generally aren't serious, but it's going to take a couple of weeks to recover fully," Bengals fan Jason Thibeault said. "I still have high hopes for the season."

Christ Hospital's Dr. John Schillings has been operating for ten years and has completed hundreds of appendectomies.

"Appendicitis is a very interesting and common disease," Schilling said. "Anyone can get it, and you really can't prevent it. I don't think taking extra hits when you're behind center can really cause appendicitis."

Fans plan to hold down 'The Jungle' and wish their star quarterback a speedy recovery.

"Get well soon Joey B," Hoeweler said. "Who dey!"

More information on Burrow's procedure should be released on Wednesday when Bengals head coach Zac Taylor talks with the media at training camp.

NFL rookie punter Matt Araiza has been released from the Buffalo Bills days after he and two other football players were accused in a lawsuit of gang raping a then-17-year-old girl during an off-campus party at San Diego State University last year.

"This afternoon, we decided that releasing Matt Araiza was the best thing to do. Our culture in Buffalo is more important than winning football games," team general manager Brandon Beane announced on Saturday.

Araiza and two other current or former San Diego State University football players are accused of gang-raping the girl at a Halloween party last year, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the attorney for the plaintiff identified in court documents as "Jane Doe."

Araiza and his co-defendants, Zavier Leonard and Nowlin "Pa'a" Ewaliko, were on San Diego State's football team at the time of the alleged incident last October.

Araiza's attorney, Kerry Armstrong, told CNN Friday his client did not rape the accuser.

"The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight," Araiza said in a statement issued through his attorney.

Jane Doe says she attended a party in the San Diego area with friends, but was separated from them when she met Araiza, according to the claim. The filing further asserts Araiza "could observe that Doe was heavily intoxicated" and "handed her a drink anyway."

"Doe informed Araiza that she attended Grossmont High School. Araiza, who was 21 years old, knew or should have known that Doe was a minor," the complaint says.

Araiza's attorney disputed the claim, saying, "He never used any force against her. She was not visibly intoxicated. He did not hand her a drink with anything in it."

The complaint says Araiza led the girl to a bedroom where "there were at least three other men already in the bedroom," including Leonard and Ewaliko, who were both at least 18 at the time.

"Doe was raped for about an hour and a half until the party was shut down. Doe stumbled out of the room bloody and crying," said the complaint.

The girl reported the alleged incident the next day to the San Diego Police Department and underwent a rape examination at a hospital, according to the lawsuit.

Nowlin "Pa'a" Ewaliko's lawyer Marc Carlos told CNN in a phone interview he sees some issues with Doe's credibility and the circumstances under which she reported the event. "The filing of the civil suit is clearly an attempt to put pressure on the DA to file a case," he said. Ewaliko is not enrolled at SDSU this semester, according to Carlos.

Zavier Leonard's attorney Jahmal Kersey declined to comment but told CNN they are aware of the lawsuit.

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office said the investigation is under review, but did not indicate when a charging decision will be made.

San Diego State released a statement saying it "takes allegations of sexual assault seriously," but was not able to release specific details on the case due to privacy concerns stating the allegations were still under "active university investigation." The statement said further a violation of the university's student code of conduct could potentially result in "suspension, dismissal or expulsion."

The Buffalo Bills were made aware of the allegations in late July when they were contacted by a representative of the alleged victim, Beane said in a news conference Saturday.

"The last 48 has been very difficult for a lot of people. It's been tough, and we sympathize with this whole situation, all the parties involved," Beane said.

"Ultimately, this is a legal situation. We don't know all the facts and that's what makes it hard, but at this time we just think it's the best move for everyone to move on from Matt and let him take care of this situation and focus on that," Beane added. "So, we're going to part ways there."

More teams will get a chance to win a college football national championship.

According to ESPN and Sports Illustrated, the College Football Playoff's board of managers voted Friday to approve a 12-team playoff.

A timetable for implementing the 12-team playoff is reportedly not set in stone. The Athletic and Sports Illustrated say it could happen as early as 2024. ESPN reports it's expected to start in 2026.

The playoff is expected to feature the six highest-ranked conference champions and six at-large bids, Sports Illustrated reports.

The current playoff only features four teams. The format has been criticized for leaving teams out that may have a chance to win a national championship.

Two brothers from Australia found themselves making a bittersweet memory before the University of Cincinnati vs. the University of Arkansas season opener game on Saturday.

Mason Fletcher, sophomore punter for the Bearcats has a younger brother, Max Fletcher, who just so happens to be the freshman punter for the Razorbacks.

The two brothers from Melbourne were reunited on Saturday's game and Mason got to reunite with his mom.

He hadn't seen her in two years.

The Cincinnati Bearcats Football Twitter account posted the video of the reunion.

UC captioned the video "We're not crying, you’re crying! (Okay… we're crying too.) Mason Fletcher's family flew in from Australia to watch him and his brother play against each other tomorrow at Arkansas."

Watch video below to see the reunion.

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Fletcher had posted a picture of him and his brother in uniform to his Twitter prior to the season opener game and said "Fair to say mum and dad are tailgate ready," with a few laughing emojis.

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Max, who hadn't seen his parents in eight months, also took to Twitter to post a family picture.

"Good to see mum and dad for the first time in 8 months, excited for Saturday #woopig," the freshman punter said.

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Although the game didn't rule in Cincinnati's favor when Arkansas defeated them 31-24, it was still a win for the Fletcher brothers.

The Guardian Cap appears to be an effective tool in reducing concussions.

The NFL said concussions dropped by 50% this summer among players who were mandated to wear the piece of equipment.

The league compared concussion rates from the summer to the previous three years.

According to ESPN, the NFL required players in numerous positions, including linemen, tight ends and linebackers, to wear Guardian Caps from the start of training camp until the second preseason game.

The network reports that 11 players suffered concussions during that time, but six were caused by contact to the face mask, which the Guardian Cap does not protect.

Despite no longer being required to wear the caps, the NFL says some players are still using them.

Other players have complained about their fit.

The NFL says it will continue working on solutions to prevent concussions.

"When we started this work a few years ago, we said the offerings on the field may look a little bit different and I think we might be living up to those words. And, that's an exciting opportunity for the health and safety of the sport and for the players who play it," NFL executive Jeff Miller said, according to The Associated Press.

The first win of the season is in the books for the Cincinnati Bengals after defeating the Jets by 15 points on Sunday.

The Bengals stepped up their game and looked way more fluid as soon as kickoff happened. Joe Burrow threw three touchdowns and finished 23 of 36 for 275 yards.

The offensive line stepped up their game as well and allowed only three sacks on Burrow. Three is still a lot, but it's much better compared to the seven sacks Dallas put on him.

Burrow said the offensive line did so much better today because they’re improving.

"They’re working hard in practice, understanding the protections and the corrections they had to make from the first two weeks and I played better, we called a better game and we weren’t behind in the first half," Burrow said.

The beginning of Sunday's game felt like a relief, like fans were seeing that Super Bowl team because they came out clean and ready to play.

“We started fast, we started clean. Most importantly, we got the ball in the end zone three times on that first drive. The third one counted, which was good to see," said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.

The Bengals and Jets had two different stories coming into Sunday's game. Cincinnati coming off two tough losses and New York coming off a win in overtime against the Cleveland Browns, it was a true test for the Bengals to clinch the win.

"We just needed to get the first win, didn't really care what it looked like. Didn't care if it was 3-0 or 49-3, we just needed to rip that band-aid off and get that first win," Taylor said. "We knew we were gonna get a great performance from our guys and they delivered."

And delivered they did.

Samaje Perine, Tyler Boyd and Ja'Marr Chase all recorded touchdowns against the Jets while Burrow was 8 of 10 for 95 yards on the drive during which Cincinnati thought it got into the end zone two other times.

Tee Higgins was asked if he thought he scored on a touchdown in the first quarter, "for sure, for sure, I got robbed," the wide receiver said. Burrow also agreed that he thought Higgins scored.

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As the Bengals prepare for the rest of the season, Burrow said being aggressive and coming out fast is what will put the Bengals on top.

"We came out aggressive and it paid off for us," the star quarterback said. "It paid off for us, we put seven on the board then came right back and scored again, so that was a big start to the game for us."

Although this Cincinnati team consists of a group of confident players, getting that first win of the season restores a little bit of faith for the players and fans.

"Just the win itself is all we needed. Our guys know what we’re capable of. We just need to get in that win column and positive momentum, not only with our team but the fans," Taylor said.

Burrow also added that the way they played today was going to be the epitome of what they want to be for the rest of the year.

"That's critical going forward for the rest of the season. Coming out fast, putting points on the board," Burrow said. "That last series was the epitome of what we want to be for the rest of the year."

Looking ahead to Thursday's game at Paycor Stadium, Taylor says "[Miami] has beaten some really good football teams, so it's gonna be a tough test for us, but I know our fans are gonna be there to help us. Help us do everything we can to pull out a win."

INJURIES:
Defensive tackle D.J. Reader was ruled out for the rest of Sunday's game due to a left knee injury. "I just know it's a knee injury, hopefully, it's better than not, but we'll get more information on that," Taylor said.

Tee Higgins also took another hard hit that knocked his helmet off earlier on in the game but remind in. He was taken out of the first game of the season against the Steelers for a concussion.

WHAT'S NEXT:

The Cincinnati Bengals will break out their 'White Bengal' helmets and white uniforms for Thursday's primetime game against the Miami Dolphins at Paycor Stadium.

Kick-off is set for 8:15 p.m.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Football is "America's Game", and millions of fans across the country know the sport inside and out.

Many are also familiar with the potentially career-ending and life-threatening injuries that can plague NFL players, concussions most notably.

The NFL concussion protocol, implemented in 2011, is a set of actions and decisions that determine if a player is currently suffering from a concussion. If concussion symptoms are spotted, players are escorted off the field in order to undergo an examination and evaluation.

With millions watching the Thursday night NFL matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, questions regarding the NFL's concussion protocol have arisen. Questions that also concern who exactly is in charge of deciding if a player is ready to return to the field after suffering a major hit on the field. And what happens when the wrong decision is made?

In Thursday night's game, Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a hit to the back of the head and neck after being sacked by Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupou.

Tagovailoa immediately showed signs of "fencing," a reaction where the arms are held in the air in the seconds after an impact to the head or neck.

After being stretchered off the field and taken to a local Cincinnati hospital, it was announced that the quarterback was conscious and was not suffering from any structural damage.

Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol.

However, the week before the Thursday night game, Tagovailoa suffered a head injury after hitting the ground during the first half of a home game against the Buffalo Bills.

Tagovailoa was slow to get up and was later taken to the locker room.

The quarterback returned to the game after he was initially marked as questionable to return.

The NFL's Player Association requested a review of the concussion protocols after Tagovailoa's quick and possibly questionable return to the game.

According to the NFL's Concussion Game Day Checklist, the following actions are supposed to determine whether or not a player has suffered a concussion and is in the right condition to return to the field.

What happens when a player receives a blow or impact to the head during a game?

• When a player receives a blow or impact to the head and shows symptoms related to a concussion, the player is supposed to be immediately removed to the sideline or stabilized onfield, if needed.
  • Even if a blow to the head does not occur, an (ATC) athletic trainer spotter, booth ATC, team physician, NFL official, coach, teammate, or UNC (Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant) can initiate concussion protocol.

• A survey is then performed where the player's helmet is removed. The team's physician and a UNC conduct the survey.
  • The player may return to the field if the survey is normal: the player has a recollection of the event, passes Maddock's questions, and a video review is "benign."
  • A focused neurological exam is also performed
    • A cervical spine exam, an evaluation of speech, observation of gait, eye movements, and pupillary exam are also performed.
  • The player may not return to the field if the player has loss of consciousness, gross motor instability, confusion, or amnesia.
• What are Maddock's questions?
  1. At which field are we?
  2. Which quarter is it?
  3. How far into the quarter is it - the first, middle, or last 10 minutes?
  4. Which side scored last?
  5. Which team did we play last week?
  6. Did we win last week?
• What happens after a player fails the sideline survey?
  • After a failed sideline survey, the player is taken to the locker room where an exam is performed. If the exam is normal, the player may return to the field.
  • The exam consists of a complete NFL SCAT (Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool), a tool used to evaluate concussions by healthcare professionals. The exam also consists of a complete neurological exam.
• Steps after a failed locker room exam?
  • The player stays in the locker room and undergoes periodic evaluation by a medical team
  • A follow-up neurological exam is performed.

What happens when a team fails to properly follow concussion protocol?

• In 2016, The NFL and NFLPA announced a new policy to enforce the above concussion protocol. The new policy implements a "strict and fair" process that investigates incidents regarding concussion protocol and what discipline will be enacted.
  • A first violation by a team will require team employees or medical team employees to attend a remedial education and/or the team will pay a maximum fine of $150,000.
  • A second violation will result in a minimum fine of $100,000 against the team.
  • If it is agreed that a violation involved aggravating circumstances, the team will be subject to a fine of no less than $50,000.
  • If the NFL Commissioner determines that a medical team failed to follow the protocol in order to win a game, the Commissioner can require the team to forfeit draft picks and impose fines that can exceed the amounts above.

This story was originally reported by Imani Clement on wkbw.com.

Matt Rhule is the first National Football League coach to be fired this season.

On Monday, the Carolina Panthers announced they'd fired Rhule, who was in his third season at the helm.

The team named assistant coach Steve Wilks as interim head coach.

The firing comes after the Panthers fell to 1-4 after losing 37-15 at home to the San Francisco 49ers, the Associated Press reported.

The news outlet reported that Rhule left Baylor to become the Panthers' head coach in 2020 after signing a seven-year, $62 million deal.

According to USA Today, Rhule is the first Panthers coach in franchise history to serve fewer than three seasons.

Panthers owner brought Rhule in to replace longtime head coach Ron Rivera, who Tepper fired during the 2019 season, the Associated Press reported.

The team went through four quarterbacks during Rhule's tenure, beginning with Teddy Bridgewater in 2020. Then the team saw Sam Darnold and Cam Newton behind center before they traded for former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield during the offseason, the news outlets reported.

According to the news outlets, Mayfield, the former No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018, hasn't played well, only completing 54.9% of his passes this season for 962 yards.

Overnight Showers Then Cold

Updated: 11:37 PM EST Dec 2, 2022

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