Jordan Battle owns up to taunting mistake vs. Falcons

The Cincinnati Bengals are beginning prep for their third pre-season game this week as they take on the Washington Commanders in DC.

Coming off a hard-fought game against the Atlanta Falcons, one Bengals rookie is looking forward to turning the page on this past weekend.

Jordan Battle, a rookie defensive back from Alabama, received a taunting penalty against the Falcons after he waved his finger after Scotty Miller caught the ball out of bounds on the third-down play. In what many would seem to not be such a serious celebration to draw a flag, the officials in Atlanta decided it was enough, ultimately giving the Falcons an automatic first down, helping set up their first scoring drive.

When asked about this penalty after the game, Battle had this to say to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network:

“I ain’t never been a guy where people question his character, but obviously, getting that penalty for taunting, it can lead people to ask questions about how does this guy carry himself,” Battle said. “I’ve never been that guy, and I never will be that guy.”

The penalty also led to the coaching staff to decide to remove Battle from the remainder of the game.

“Yeah, I’ll admit I was a little nervous. I’ll admit, I was nervous,” Battle said. “I wasn’t sure how long I’d be out.”

Battle should be a vital depth player for the Bengals defense this season. After a successful career in Tuscaloosa and some turnover at the safety position for Cincinnati, it’s only a matter of time before he hears his name called to come up in a big spot during this season. If anything, this only makes me feel more confident in his abilities moving forward.