JD Vance has been a lifelong Cincinnati Bengals fan, having grown up in Ohio and followed the team for years. On Wednesday, he visited their practice facility with his son ahead of a midterm rally in Cincinnati. The Bengals, for the most part, did not appear to share his enthusiasm for the meeting.
The evidence is an 18-second video shot from an office window at the complex. Charlie Clifford, sports director at NBC 5 in Cincinnati, posted it with the caption “JD Vance greets Bengals players on the way out.” In it, Vance stands near a walkway while most of the players file past him on their way indoors, and one stops to shake his hand.
JD Vance greets Bengals players on the way out https://t.co/lMKvYRpMfE
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) October 21, 2026
Accounts differed on how many Bengals players and staff members stopped to greet Vance during the visit. HuffPost reported that tight end Drew Sample was the only player who stopped to shake the vice president’s hand, while AOL noted that footage also showed Vance shaking hands with head coach Zac Taylor. Newsweek reported a separate exchange involving wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who acknowledged Vance’s son with the words, “Nice gloves, man.”
The arrival was considerably more elaborate than the reception, with a six SUV motorcade transporting Vance to the Bengals’ practice fields outside Paycor Stadium. During the visit, he toured the locker room, met head coach Zac Taylor and left with a football, though the footage of his interactions with players suggested the visit did not turn into the warm welcome he might have hoped for.
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Quarterback Joe Burrow said he had no opportunity to meet the vice president, telling reporters, “We did not.” He explained that Vance left with “swiftness and efficiency” before practice had ended.
Asked about the broader significance of football bringing people together, Burrow said one of the things he loves about his job is that it “brings a lot of people together.”
The visit also caught some of the players by surprise. Burrow said he had no idea Vance was coming until Bengals owner Mike Brown informed him on the sideline. The 3-2 Cincinnati team was preparing for a divisional matchup against Baltimore after its bye week, leaving players focused on their upcoming game rather than the vice president’s appearance.
Vance’s schedule also included a campaign rally in Sharonville, where he appeared alongside Republican Senate candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Jon Husted. Supporters held signs bearing the slogan “restoring common sense” as Vance addressed the crowd.
Featured image via X screengrab
