Joseph Ossai will regret this play for the rest of his life.
The Cincinnati Bengals defensive end sat on the bench in tears at the end of the AFC Championship Game as the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated their win. Teammates came over to console him, to no avail.
Ossai made the mistake that might have decided the game. After Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a first down with eight seconds remaining, he had just taken a couple of steps out of bounds when Ossai knocked him down.
The Patrick Mahomes run, and the personal foul. #AFCChampionship pic.twitter.com/Fh6bpTfoaH
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 30, 2023
Ossai got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and the resulting 15-yard penalty moved the Chiefs in position for the win. Kicker Harrison Butker came out on the next play to kick a 45-yard field goal to win the game.
The Chiefs advance to the Super Bowl. The Bengals go home. And Ossai ended up in tears.
When asked about the play after the game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told CBS Sports, “We’re not going to make it about one play.”
Ossai’s raw show of emotion tempered the reactions on Twitter. He knows he made a huge mistake; so does everyone else. No sense in beating a man when he’s down.
The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweeted, “Joseph Ossai’s an awesome young player who played an excellent game. The #Bengals didn’t lose this game because of him. Get that nonsense out of here.”
Joseph Ossai’s an awesome young player who played an excellent game. The #Bengals didn’t lose this game because of him. Get that nonsense out of here.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 30, 2023
I feel terribly for Joseph Ossai. Man is in tears on the sidelines. #nfl #nflplayoffs #AFCChampionshipGame pic.twitter.com/EVma7lXa3J
— Manny S. (@MMS0272) January 30, 2023
https://twitter.com/JudsonSchultz1/status/1619898706853236736
I have huge respect for #96 Cam Sample. Joseph Ossai makes such a bad, costly mistake and he’s all alone on the bench fighting tears. Anyone can be a “great teammate” in the good times. Sample consoles Ossai and walks with him off the field. I love that. #NFL #Bengals
— Steve Warne (@SteveWarneMedia) January 30, 2023
@TSL33 I feel awful for Joseph Ossai. He played a whale of a game and has a bright future, but the late penalty is what too many people will remember him for. He was literally in tears and people are showing him zero empathy.
— Tom B (@tombinthe313) January 30, 2023
@Bengals Joseph Ossai – I am not a Bengals fan but my heart goes out to you. I hated to see the tears. It was one play during a game. Keep your chin up and don’t let this define you. #momwords.
— Rachel Bounds (@motherbounds) January 30, 2023
https://twitter.com/D2touch1/status/1619895602304929793
There are plenty of mean and nasty comments about Ossai’s penalty on Twitter. But in this case, many NFL fans seemed to prefer to take the high road.
