Amid an injury-plagued season, the 4-9 Cincinnati Bengals have reached a stunning nadir in one key aspect.
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The club has missed two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow for all but four games this year (during which Cincinnati has one 3-1), and without its star signal caller has fallen out of the AFC wildcard race.
Could Cincinnati's treatment of its players off the field be partly to blame for the club's shortcomings on it this season?
Per a new study from The Action Network's Kathy Morris, the Bengals have the stingiest food program in the entire NFL.
According to Morris' metrics, Bengals owner Mike Brown ranks as the fifth-cheapest franchise owner overall, but cuts costs the most when it comes to feeding his players.
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Despite boasting a gorgeous revamped locker room, the Bengals number among just two NFL teams that do not supply its players with at least three meals per day. For a franchise that's worth an estimated $5.25 billion according to Forbes, this feels shockingly cost-conscious.
Why a club wouldn't choose to support its performers in such a basic capacity is anyone's guess. Preparing the body in all facets is critical to elite athletes, and providing his charges with balanced, nutritious diets under the team's supervision feels like the absolute bare minimum Brown could do.
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