'Biggest Mess Up I've Ever Had' - Cincinnati Bengals Punter Ryan Rehkow Details Emotions, Reactions After FG Flub

Jay Morrison | Oct 10, 2024

Sep 29, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cincinnati Bengals place kicker Evan McPherson (2) and punter Ryan Rehkow (8) during pregame warm ups against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – No one hates the fact that Ryan Rehkow dropped the ball on a game-winning field goal attempt any more than he does.

And no one is dwelling on it any less than he is.

“I hate it just as much as the next person,” Rehkow said after practice Wednesday. “It sucks that it had to happen then, but you can't change it. You can't go back and do it over. It's a good learning opportunity. You just roll with the punches and keep playing.”

Not only did Rehkow’s bobble cause Evan McPherson’s 53-yard field goal attempt in overtime to carry well left of the goal posts, it opened head coach Zac Taylor to criticism for his conservative play calling on the three plays before the kick.

And it also cast a harsher light on the struggling Cincinnati defense after Derrick Henry ripped off a 51-yard run on the next play to set up Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker with a chip shot field goal for a 41-38 victory.

After the game, McPherson defended Rehkow while the rookie punter stood at his locker and answered questions from wave after wave of media members.

“Nobody's excited about owning up to the biggest mess up I've ever had, but it comes with the territory,” he said.

Once that was done, he had a few more to answer from his wife.

“She was here at the game, and she was like 'I didn't even see it,’” Rehkow said. “She reached out to her family and was like 'What happened?' And then it sunk in for her.”

Rehkow went to greet her in the friends and family area at the stadium, and two walked home to their nearby apartment.

“I feel like it was even harder on her,” he said. “She was really concerned about how I was dealing with it. She was like 'Are you good?' And I said 'Babe, I promise I'm good. It's part of the job. It's really OK.'

“I think it was good for her to see this is what we do and part of what we deal with and stuff like that,” he added. “I feel like it’s brought us a lot closer together.”

It would seem Rehkow’s performance as a punter would help mitigate some of the disappointment as well.

He leads the league in gross punting average (55.6) and net average (49.2).

But Rehkow said that isn’t much of a consolation.

“That's only half the job,” he said. “You're half the punter and half the holder, and 50 percent isn't a good grade in anything. 

“I’m definitely just dialing in on the holding this week,” he continued. “Just clear the bases, restart and go back to the basics. There really wasn't anything I did any differently. I just went a little bit too quick. That's all it was.”

Rehkow said he received a lot of messages of support from friends, family and former teammates, which gave him a chance to catch up with some that he hadn’t spoken to in a while.

“The way I look at it is it's a blessing regardless,” he said. “Do I want to make a mistake? No. But it's a privilege to be in that situation, to be playing in the NFL. A few months ago, I didn’t know if that was gonna happen.

“Yeah, I hate it. But it's way better than any other alternative. It sucks to have a setback, but again, it's part of life.”

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