Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Cody Ford is gaining a lot of attention for his athleticism following the team’s 37-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
During the third quarter of the Bengals‘ Dec. 28 matchup at Paycor Stadium, Ford, who comes in at 6 feet, 3 inches and 345 pounds, had a 21-yard reception on his 29th birthday, a run that shocked even star quarterback Joe Burrow.
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But it appears not everyone was surprised by Ford’s speed. Bengals‘ offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. joked on social media about Ford’s athleticism, recalling the time he outran a dog.
“I once seen Cody Ford out run a wild pitbull with a 24 Pack of Beer in his arms. They were glass bottles,” Brown said in a Dec. 29 X post, which reshared head coach Zac Taylor breaking down Ford’s 21-yard scamper. “Athlete!!”
Ford told ESPN the catch was a “dream come true.”
“We don’t ever get to touch the ball,” Ford told ESPN. “We get the hardest jobs of the day. Then, I finally get to touch the ball, and it’s a dream come true.” The 29-year-old later said this birthday will be with him “for a long time, if not forever.”
During the postgame press conference, Burrow said he initially wanted to throw to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase on the play, but with him covered, the quarterback went through his reads until his eyes landed on Ford.
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“I threw it to him early in the week in practice as a joke,” Burrow said during the press conference, later adding he couldn’t believe what he was watching.
Cincinnati Bengals guard Cody Ford falls out of bounds near the end zone after a 21-yard reception in the third quarter of the Bengals’ Week 17 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘Athlete.’ Orlando Brown Jr. recalls Cody Ford outrunning a pitbull