The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping to be among the best teams in the AFC in 2025.
Joe Burrow and Co. have been threats for the past few seasons, but their slow start in 2024 was a hindrance to making the playoffs.
They’re doing some things differently in the offseason to prepare, with the most impactful being that the starters are slated to play in most, if not all, of their preseason games, staying sharp and ready to go.
Burrow and the rest of the starters looked strong in Game 1, so it will be interesting to see if the plans for playing in the preseason persist after seeing their performance.
Regardless of what they decide in that regard, the Bengals could have a large problem on their hands.
As Dov Kleiman showcased on X, rookie DE Shemar Stewart had a low hit on Burrow during practice, which caused the entire team to pile up and get into arguments.
Oh Boy: Bengals rookie DE Shemar Stewart HIT Joe Burrow at practice today, causing an all-out brawl.pic.twitter.com/FoXc0kzBW9
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 13, 2025
It’s tough to determine how long this skirmish lasted from the video, but the fact that it occurred is not a positive sign for team unity.
Burrow has struggled with a few injuries in recent seasons, and the last thing he needs is to get hurt by one of his teammates.
There’s a lot of excitement around Stewart and what he can do for the Bengals in real game situations, but he’ll need to make sure he stays in the good graces of his quarterback and coaches to get the most opportunities.
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