Bengals came back from Madrid with way more than just a win over the Falcons
The Cincinnati Bengals spent five days together in Spain for their first overseas trip since 2019. Those who made the trip came back with a clear message about what happened away from the field.
The Cincinnati Bengals spent five days together on their first trip overseas since 2019, and the international game did as much for their locker room as it did for their record.
This was far from a typical road trip in the States. Cincinnati experienced a new environment together for the first time while preparing for, and then playing, a game broadcast in more places than just their home country. It ended with a 17-point victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
A week after they got on the flight, the Bengals sound like a team positively transformed from their travels.
What the Bengals really gained in Madrid
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, team bonding was a highlight of the trip, and the entire locker room now feels closer together.
“I spoke to several people who were on that trip to Madrid, and one thing that really stood out was just how important this past week was for the team above just the football,” Schultz said. “What I mean by that is they arrived; the Bengals did, early in the week in Spain, and something I think fans don’t always see with these international trips is the team bonding that happens when everybody’s together in a different environment. And I was told this was just a major week for the Bengals, not just on the field, but for the entire organization.
“The connection from Player 1-to-53 is very strong, and I was told by someone there it’s basically the same as it was during the Super Bowl run several years ago. That’s the type of connection.”
Why a stronger locker room matters
Winning goes a long way toward instilling belief in a team. A truly close locker room, in my opinion, can take that team over the top.
That matters even more for the Bengals because this kind of closeness has been missing over the last few years. Leadership issues were prevalent during the seasons when Cincinnati fell short of the playoffs. Regardless of quarterback Joe Burrow’s health, it’s been clear for a while that the Bengals brought the right leaders onto this roster.
Everybody in that locker room now appears fully bought in. They’re connected with one another the way championship teams traditionally are.
These Bengals are building their own identity
Cincinnati is trying to do something the franchise has never done before. Burrow, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and other mainstays have come close to winning it all under Bengals coach Zac Taylor.
The 2026 Bengals are not the 2021 or 2022 Bengals, though.
This year’s team has needed to form its own identity, along with its own connections and bonds, to get back to the mountaintop and hoist the Lombardi Trophy this time around.
There’s every reason to believe the time in Spain moved that process forward. From the sound of it, Cincinnati’s trip to Madrid was a success on and off the field.
“I believe that if this Cincinnati team can stay healthy, the Bengals have the stuff that teams need to win football games, to win championships, to win Super Bowls,” Schultz said. “They’re absolutely for real, and everything I hear from this past week in Madrid, it really strengthened the team as a whole.”
