The narrative on social media that Vice President JD Vance was ignored by multiple Cincinnati Bengals players at a recent team practice apparently does not reflect what actually unfolded that day, a source with knowledge of the visit told OutKick.
A recent video shared online showed Vance and his family outside the team’s locker room on Thursday as the team walked back in. The video, that did not have clear audio of the interaction, showed Bengals tight end Drew Sample stop to shake the vice president’s hand as other players walked by.
But footage obtained by OutKick portrayed a different story, including a handshake with an enthusiastic Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. The video also captured audio and appeared to show Vance chopping it up with players and other staffers.
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“Seeing how the media works is actually pretty crazy. The players, staff, and Vice President Vance and his son all had a great time at practice,” the source told OutKick exclusively. “All of these negative tweets and articles are completely detached from the reality of how well the visit went.”
Initial reaction to the video shared on social described the interaction as Vance getting “snubbed” by the team.
“This is what TOTAL HUMILIATION looks like: JD Vance attempted to greet Cincinnati Bengals players in the locker room and got snubbed and ghosted by every single player except one,” one person wrote on X.
“JD Vance walked into the Bengals locker room looking for a photo-op, and the players gave him the cold shoulder he deserves,” another person wrote, adding that the team didn’t want to be used for”political theater.”
But the source told OutKick that Vance and his son were warmly received when visiting the facility with no planned media engagement. A photo obtained by OutKick showed the vice president and his family playing catch on the field. The source added that defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence approached the vice president and had conversation with him during the visit.
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Vance, an Ohio native, is a longtime Bengals fan, growing up roughly an hour outside of Cincinnati. He has a home in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood.
Vance toured the team’s locker room, shook hands with several players, coach Zac Taylor and others, and came away with a football. It is unclear if Vance brought the ball to be autographed or the club gave it to him as a memento.
Quarterback Joe Burrow said he “did not” talk to Vance.
“He came with everybody and left with swiftness and efficiency before the end of practice, so I didn’t get to,” Burrow told reporters earlier this week.
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Vance was in town to deliver a speech at the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office and then hold a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center.
OutKick’s Armando Salguero contributed to this report.