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Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterSep 19, 2024, 09:16 PM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI — Bengals rookie safety Daijahn Anthony doesn’t have to watch tape to remember one of the most difficult plays of his career.
He just checks his phone.
Anthony said that along with family photos, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce are part of a rotating carousel of images on his phone’s wallpaper. That way, his game-changing penalty in last weekend’s 26-25 loss to Kansas City isn’t far from his mind as he looks for motivation.
“They’re not family,” Anthony said. “But I can’t wait to see them again.”
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In the final minute of the Week 2 game, the seventh-round pick from Ole Miss was whistled for defensive pass interference as Mahomes flung a ball toward wide receiver Rashee Rice on fourth-and-16.
Anthony made contact before the ball arrived, giving Kansas City an automatic first down in field goal range. Harrison Butker drilled a 51-yard field goal as time expired to give the back-to-back Super Bowl champs the victory.
In the visiting locker room after the game, Anthony was in tears. But afterward, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt said that Anthony did what most defensive backs would have done in that situation.
“I feel like he did a great job, honestly,” Taylor-Britt said after the game. “Maybe a little early if anything, but I feel like I would’ve did the same thing — went to go get the ball.”
Thursday was the first time that Anthony met with reporters since the game. He revealed that it’s not the first time that had motivating fuel on his phone’s lock screen.
Last year, Ole Miss faced the Penn State in the Peach Bowl and Anthony came across comments from the Nittany Lions ahead of the game. The Rebels won 38-25. Anthony had an interception in the victory.
The sentiment remains the same.
“So you don’t forget it,” Anthony said. “Remember what you’re doing it for.”
