Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai is unlikely to get a good night’s sleep after his costly foul during the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
While Ossai is not wholly responsible for his team’s loss, his shove on Patrick Mahomes gifted the Kansas City Chiefs a game-winning field goal.
The Bengals put their arms around Ossai, who was seen crying on the bench after the ill-advised play that also caused him to get hurt. But one teammate was not in the mood for sympathy and unloaded on the Nigerian in the tunnel.
Ossai was pretty emotional during his post-game interview, which he struggled to get through and probably wouldn’t have been able to complete had teammate B.J. Hill not stepped in to provide support.
“Means the world to me,” Ossai said of his teammates’ actions. “These guys mean a lot to me. We come every day and we work hard for each other. To know that they have my back is giving me peace right now, for sure.”
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor refused to blame the DE for the loss, noting that a single play was not the determining factor.
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Of course, Ossai will rue his error for a while still. But having the support of the rest of the team will do him a world of good over the next few days.
