‘Why the hell did you touch him?’: Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt scolds teammate Joseph Ossai after defensive end’s late hit against Patrick Mahomes cost Cincinnati a Super Bowl berth
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt yelled at teammate Joseph Ossai as they walked into the locker room after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bengals sorely missed out on a Super Bowl seat after a narrow 23-20 loss to the Chiefs in the dying seconds of Sunday’s AFC Championship game.
Cincinnati was a stop or two from forcing the game into overtime when Ossai found Patrick Mahomes late when the Chiefs quarterback went out of bounds near the Bengals’ 40-yard line.
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt (L) yelled at teammate Joseph Ossai (R).
Ossai met Patrick Mahomes (R) late when the Chiefs quarterback ran out of bounds
The defensive end was punished, setting up Harrison Butker’s 45-yard field goal attempt, which he sent through the posts and potted the Chiefs’ ticket to the 2023 Super Bowl three seconds from time.
The Bengals were understandably upset at the close loss and Pratt couldn’t contain his frustration.
He was seen screaming in anger at the late penalty and dramatic game-winning kick as he walked into the dressing room.
Harrison Butker is lifted in the air by teammates after scoring the game-winning field goal
“This is my last damn streak,” Pratt yelled. “What the hell. Why the hell did you touch the quarterback?’
After his outbursts of anger were posted on social media, the 26-year-old responded by insisting that no love is lost.
“Yep ppl will post anything on social media for likes and views,” Pratt wrote on Instagram. “I have real feelings, sometimes they are raw. When you love something like I do, sometimes things are said in the heat of the moment.
After his tirade was posted on social media, Pratt responded by insisting that no love was lost
‘But I know what kind of guy [sic] I’m a teammate. And what a man I am. Don’t trust me lost love. I’m injured. Remember some people who hate you, judge you and shake and try to break you, but I’ll stand tall as always.
After costing his team a Super Bowl spot, Ossai was seen weeping on the sidelines as Mahomes and company celebrated their AFC championship crown.
He also appeared to injure his knee during the game while being attended to by medical staff.
Ossai’s other Bengals team-mates continued to support the 22-year-old Nigerian, who was seen crying on the touchline after the loss. In particular, defensive tackle BJ Hill was spotted alongside Ossai as he answered tough questions in the dressing room afterwards.
“It means the world to me,” Ossai told reporters when asked about the endorsement. “These guys mean a lot to me. We come every day and work hard for each other. Knowing that they have my back gives me peace right now.”
Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor also refused to blame Ossai for the loss.
“It’s tough,” Taylor said after Sunday’s season-ending loss. “One piece. It didn’t matter.”