LOS ANGELES — Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah will go in if the team wins Super Bowl LVI. Specifically, he’ll go all in a tub of chili.
During Thursday’s virtual media availability, Uzomah said he will soak in Cincinnati-style chili if the Bengals beat the Rams on Sunday to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history. He said he is serious about putting on some swim trunks and taking a dip in the culinary item that is most associated with Cincinnati.
“You put it in a swimming pool, I’ll dive in there and eat my way out,” Uzomah said.
The idea stemmed from a conversation on an episode of Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast that will be released on Friday. When one of the podcast hosts suggested he was going to take a chili bath, Uzomah said he’d happily join in the action.
“Easy,” Uzomah said. “100%.”
Uzomah has been talking about an epic Super Bowl celebration well before anyone imagined Cincinnati might be playing for the Lombardi Trophy. Last June, Uzomah illustrated a vision of feeding quarterback Joe Burrow shots, wide receiver Tyler Boyd drinking cognac while shirtless and copious amounts of champagne sprayed if the Bengals win it all.
As the Bengals have made their best playoff run in three decades and won the AFC for the first time since 1989, that vision inched a little closer. Uzomah has seen his now-viral clip float around Twitter and said celebrating a Super Bowl victory is something he thinks about often.
“I want to manifest that, right?,” Uzomah said. “So I have that positive image in my head.”
His status for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams remains unclear as of Thursday afternoon. He has not practiced since suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee in the team’s win over Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 30. Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Uzomah will continue to be evaluated through the end of the week as Cincinnati looks to determine his status for gameday.