The budding rivalry between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs is becoming one of the best in the AFC.
The two franchises have faced six times since the 2021 season, splitting those contests, and that includes a pair of AFC Championships, which were also split.
They played once again in Week 2 on Sunday, and this time, the defending Super Bowl champions got the better of Cincinnati to win their third in a row in the series with a walk-off field goal set up by a costly pass interference penalty.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Bengals rookie seventh-round safety Daijahn Anthony revealed the novel way he’s forcing himself to remember the loss: putting Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce on his phone’s lock screen.
“I honestly can’t wait to see them,” Anthony explained. “I’ve got them as one of my lock screens right now so I can see it every day. Both of them. Because I can’t wait to see them again.
“I’ve got a slideshow that I can click through, like, family members. And they’re on there, too. They’re not family, but I can’t wait to see them again.”
Bengals Safety Daijahn Anthony set Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as his lock screen: "I can't wait to see them again"
pic.twitter.com/8gsPNIJXbh— BBQ Chiefs (@BBQChiefs) September 20, 2024
Anthony said it’s not the first time he’s implemented such a motivational strategy. Ahead of Ole Miss’ Peach Bowl win over Penn State last season, he also set examples of internet trash talk from Nittany Lions players as his lock screen.
We’ll have to see if this tactic helps Anthony and Cincinnati fare better whenever it faces the Chiefs again, which could potentially come in another AFC playoff showdown.
