Bengals Ban Reporters From Filming Players Crossing Street to Practice Facility

Fans had a laugh at Cincinnati's expense Wednesday.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) stretches during training, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at the Kettering Health Practice Fields outside of Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Wednesday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic posted an anodyne video on social media of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase walking to practice. The video is exactly as unremarkable as you would imagine, made interesting only by the fact that Chase is crossing a bustling city street to get there.

That specific point—and its subsequent mockery by NFL fans online—appears to have led the Bengals to take action.

On Thursday, Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network tweeted that Cincinnati has stopped reporters from taking pictures of players as they cross the street to participate in practice.

"Apparently the Bengals are a little thin-skinned about the dumb wisecracks of them making the players cross a city street to practice," Morrison wrote. "They’re now not allowing pictures or videos to be taken—on a public sidewalk—from the practice field side of the street."

Apparently the #Bengals are a little thin-skinned about the dumb wisecracks of them making the players cross a city street to practice.

They’re now not allowing pictures or videos to be taken — on a public sidewalk — from the practice field side of the street.

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 5, 2024

The entrance to the Bengals' practice fields is located at the corner of West Pete Rose Way and Central Avenue; the latter is a major thoroughfare that runs alongside U.S. Route 52 near the Ohio River.

Cincinnati is scheduled to open its season Sunday against the New England Patriots.