Jessie Bates thanks Bengals for his time in Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Bengals finished their second preseason game with a 13-13 tie against the Atlanta Falcons. A very familiar face was on the other side of the ball from this Bengals offense, however, as Jessie Bates matched up with his former team for the first time since signing with the Falcons this offseason.

Through his five seasons in the Queen City, Bates totaled 479 tackles to go alongside 14 interceptions. More importantly, he helped the Bengals win five playoff games, including the 2022 AFC Championship, a game that saw him make a game-changing pass deflection in overtime that was intercepted by Vonn Bell.

As you can imagine, Friday was a big night for Bates, even if it was just a preseason game.

Bates spoke with the Falcons broadcast team during the game on Friday night and had this to say about his time in the Queen City.

“It’s the first time strapping it up and actually playing in a preseason game against a team that I’m very familiar with. It was really good to see everybody from the coaches, trainers. Everybody in that organization, they did a lot for me during my five years there, so I’m super thankful. It’s always good to see old friends. Excited for my new journey here,” said Bates.

The defense will certainly miss Bates patrolling the third level, but with a young core of defensive backs ready to go, Bengals fans should be excited for what is to come for this secondary.