The Bengals have an unexpected equipment issue on their hands during the bye week, and it keeps coming back to Amarius Mims’ cleats.
The Cincinnati right tackle has already had two separate in-game problems with shoes that couldn’t hold up. A few weeks ago, Mims missed snaps when his size 16 Nike Zoom Code Elites fell apart. Then, before the bye in Miami, he was sidelined for another three plays after yet another cleat broke.
It has turned into a running topic around the team, and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher leaned into the humor while talking about it, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.
"I've got to think he might be able to work some type of shoe deal out of this thing," offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "It's never fun when somebody comes over the headset and says his shoe broke again, and you're just praying to God that Sam Staley or whoever the hell was running to get the shoe runs fast."
Still, the joke lands differently when it’s forcing Mims off the field, even briefly, while Joe Burrow is behind him and a backup is in the game.
What makes the issue stand out even more is the way Mims has been playing. The 6'7", 340-pound lineman is on an All-Pro trajectory this season and has broken out in a big way. After it happened twice in five games, the Bengals are sure to take a hard look at whatever they need to do to keep him on the field.
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