Chiefs’ JuJu Smith-Schuster says Bengals have always been a ‘rah-rah team’ but ‘back it up’

As the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals prepare for Sunday’s game that sends the winner to the Super Bowl, there’s been a decent amount of chatter from both sides.

During Cincinnati’s victory over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round, Bengals defensive back Mike Hilton referred to the Chiefs’ home of Arrowhead Stadium as “Burrowhead”, a reference to the quarterback’s success. Bengal guard Joe Burrow there.

“We’ll see you all in Burrowhead,” Hilton said on the sidelines.

Thursday, Willie Gay, Kansas City linebacker he was asked what impresses him about the Bengals offense.

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“Nothing,” Gay replied with a stern look.

It’s a budding rivalry as the two teams prepare to face off in the AFC Championship game for the second consecutive year.

The Bengals have defeated Kansas City the last three times the two teams have met and in seven of the last eight against the Chiefs.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) and running back Isiah Pacheco (10) celebrate a first reception in the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 21, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
(Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

A member of the Chiefs has a ton of experience with the Bengals, with a wide receiver Ju Ju Smith Schuster facing Cincinnati nine times during his career as a former member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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“I’m sure a lot of guys are aware of the comments they’re making,” Smith-Schuster said, according to USA Today. “I’ve been playing against this team since I’ve been in the NFL, so it wasn’t new to me.

“The Bengals, they’ve always been the rah-rah team. And you know, they support it. And so they’ve been doing that all season. So that’s even more true for us, for me, to come out there and just playing, just playing ball and having fun and just talking with my shoulder pads and helmet.

JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Kansas City Chiefs runs down the field during introductions against the Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 21, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.
(Neil Cooper/Getty Images)

Smith-Schuster spent the first five years of his career in Pittsburgh, where he faced Cincinnati twice a year.

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“I just honestly think they’re just a physical team,” Smith-Schuster said. “They just play physically from start to finish, for all four quarters. It’s something I saw them play in Cincinnati, and it felt like a playoff mood game, and that’s kind of what I expect to see here.”

In Kansas City’s game against the Bengals in Week 13, Smith-Schuster had three catches for 35 yards.