Bengals team flight delayed more than 5 hours ahead of AFC North battle vs Ravens
The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have a great start to their Thanksgiving Day.
The team’s flight on Wednesday night from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport was scheduled for 5 p.m. ET, but they weren’t able to get into the air for their trip to Baltimore until 10:32 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware.
As a result, the Bengals, who play their AFC North rival Ravens on Thanksgiving night, didn’t get to their hotel until after midnight.
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The team was supposed to land in Baltimore at 6:19 p.m. ET, but they technically landed on Thanksgiving, arriving at Baltimore/Washington International Airport at 12:03 a.m.
WLWT in Cincinnati also reported the Bengals had to switch planes, though there was no word on why they were forced to change.
It wasn’t an ideal situation for the Bengals; however, it could’ve been worse if the flight had been delayed any later. If the game were played earlier in the day, it certainly would have been more of an issue.
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions had the first game on Thanksgiving Day, while the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Kansas City Chiefs for the 4:25 p.m. ET start.
While the Bengals are 3-8, this is a massive game for the franchise as they welcome back starting quarterback Joe Burrow, who recovered from toe surgery after an injury in Week 2 this season.
Burrow didn’t play this past Sunday despite being a full practice participant, but head coach Zac Taylor made the call with the short week ahead and the Thursday night matchup in mind.
Cincinnati has lost its last four games. However, Burrow hasn’t lost a game since December 2024, going 7-0 in his last seven starts.
Burrow also had qualms about playing the Ravens for the fourth straight year in prime time on the road.
"Maybe we can get one of those in Cincinnati next year, please," Burrow said back in May.
Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are winners of their last five games after starting the season 1-5 in shocking fashion. They share the AFC North lead with the Pittsburgh Steelers, making this another crucial game for the franchise’s playoff hopes.
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