This is not the first time the Bengals have poached a player from the Kansas City Chiefs. They did it in 2023 when they signed left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency, and they have done it this season by signing defensive tackle Mike Pennel to their practice squad.
Pennel has been in the NFL since 2014, playing in 138 games with 25 starts. The 11-year veteran from Arizona State had three sacks and three tackles-for-loss last season with the Chiefs, his fourth season with the team. In those four seasons, the Chiefs won two Super Bowls in 2019 (LIV) and 2023 (LVIII).
So why did Pennel come to Cincinnati to sign with the Bengals practice squad.
“I was looking for the best opportunity with a playoff-ready team, and thank God Cincinnati came up,” Pennel said. “Anytime you can play for somebody that has a genuine chance in the playoffs and even further, it’s not hard to get up and do it when you got that opportunity.”
That’s what you like to hear if you’re a Bengals fan. Pennel has a lot of postseason experience, a place the Bengals are looking to get back to for the first time since 2022.