Tim Benz: Pacman Jones doesn't want Steelers fans on the Bengals' bandwagon. Let's help calm his concerns

Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones says he doesn’t want Pittsburgh Steelers fans glomming on to the Super Bowl success of his former franchise.

“We don’t want none of the Pittsburgh fans jumping on the bandwagon,” Jones told 93.7 The Fan this week.

I’m pretty sure he has nothing to worry about.

Were Steelers fans rooting for Cincinnati against the Kansas City Chiefs last week in the AFC Championship Game?

Yeah. Maybe some. But, hey, the Chiefs had just beaten the Steelers badly in the playoffs. Cincy seemed like a cuddly, harmless underdog (this year anyway). Patrick Mahomes’ fiancée and brother are super annoying on social media.

Plus, we don’t need Kansas City becoming a new Patriots-esque dynasty in the AFC already.

So, OK. The Bengals won that one. It’s fine. But the Super Bowl? No. I can’t root for the Bengals to win the Super Bowl. Can you?

I can’t because, when I think of the Bengals, I still think of guys like Vontaze Burfict. And, well, Pacman.

I mean, back whoever you want for the Super Bowl in Pittsburgh. But I don’t understand why anyone in this city would root for the despised Bengals to win a Super Bowl title over an innocuous, non-threatening NFC West team like the Los Angeles Rams.

Are the Bengals going to be as fun to kick around if they are no longer a team you can point at and say, “Hey, when’s the last time you guys won a Super Bowl? Oh? Never? Gee, that’s a shame.”

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If you are a Steelers fan rooting for the Bengals, why? I don’t get it. They are a hated, AFC North divisional rival. I thought the best thing about the AFC North was the hate. The Steelers hate the Bengals, who hate the Ravens, who hate the Browns, who hate the Steelers.

And all is right with the world. I love the hate.

“If your division is going to the championship every time, that says something strong about your division,” Jones told hosts Andrew Fillipponi and Dorin Dickerson.

Oh, c’mon, Pac. Don’t give me that. Were you really rooting for Pittsburgh to upset the Denver Broncos the week after you and Burfict melted down against the Steelers in the 2015 playoffs? Were you really rooting for them to beat the Miami Dolphins or Kansas City Chiefs in 2016? Or Jacksonville in 2017? All because of, um, “divisional pride”?

Please! You don’t expect me to buy that, do you?

It’s the AFC North. Not the SEC West. It’s an NFL division. Not an NCAA conference.

If you play in a tough NCAA conference, there is a tangible benefit. It leads to more credibility. Better rankings. Better bowl berths. Better bowl payouts. More eyeballs on television sets for recruiting.

The Steelers don’t get more cap room just because the Bengals are going to the Super Bowl. They don’t attain a more favorable draft position just because they play in a division that yields a Super Bowl champ.

I’m pretty sure the NFL doesn’t work that way.

You can brag about being in the AFC North all you want. What does that get you besides a cup of coffee and a sweep at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the regular season.

So go ahead and root against the teams you hate. It’s fine.

Plus, Pacman is still taking shots at the Steelers. He doesn’t see them as a threat to the Bengals’ oncoming reign of terror over the division.

“They just got rid of Big Ben,” said Jones. “Only people on our radar right now truthfully is the Ravens because they on and off, they defense needs to be a little better and keep the quarterback healthy through the playoffs, that’s the only thing about it, [Lamar Jackson] hasn’t been healthy through the playoffs.”

Whatever. That team is one more Joe Burrow injury away from being an also-ran in the division again. And with that offensive line playing in front of Burrow, they are going to get him splattered again sometime soon.

Speaking of Burrow, what’s with the whole heel turn act anyway? Was he uncomfortable being too much of a good guy, likable babyface last year? So now he’s got to drum up the whole “Joe Cool” thing with the flashy glasses, dumb outfits and cocky answers at press conferences?

Joe Burrow going for 400 and 5 TDs pic.twitter.com/KCvCgjsCqW

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) January 30, 2022

Real humble pretty boy. Asked if the diamonds on his chain were real,
"They're definitely real. I think I make too much money to have fake ones," Burrow laughed. "So, these are real."
“Cartier glasses I won’t even peek at you”
Joe Burrow pic.twitter.com/lWeiEiiTpa

— SayWhat? (@noneed4repeats) February 1, 2022

Joe Burrow literally looking through rose-colored glasses at his offensive line

What a guy pic.twitter.com/xWyPE4MKLp

— Zach Brunner (@FantasyFlurry) January 24, 2022

I’ve always been a big Burrow fan. Still am. But you can’t be “Joe Cool” when you are trying that hard to be that cool.

Oh, and then there is the battle of the Pitt guys. On one hand, you have hard-working, gritty, gutty, superstar, dominant Aaron Donald with the Los Angeles Rams.

On the other, you’ve got mouthy third-receiver Tyler Boyd who accused the Steelers of quitting in the first loss the Steelers suffered against the Bengals this year.

Stop it, Tyler. The Steelers didn’t quit in the first game against you guys this year.

They quit in the second game against you guys this year. 24-10? That’s not quitting. Now then, 41-10? That’s quitting.

Let’s not exaggerate.

Look, root for whoever you want to see win next Sunday, Pittsburgh. It’s your business. But (and I can’t believe I’m about to say this) I’m listening to Pacman Jones. I’m staying off the Bengals bandwagon.

Go Rams!