The Bengals and Falcons had already settled into garbage time by the time Sunday’s NFL Madrid game took a strange turn at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
With Cincinnati up 34-17 and less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter on Nov. 8, the lights suddenly went out in the $2 billion venue, leaving fans around the world staring at a darkened soccer stadium. Samaje Perine was in the middle of a run when the outage hit, and the play was wiped out by NFL officials even though the clock was nearly out.
The interruption sparked immediate confusion and plenty of jokes on social media, with viewers wondering if the problem was on their end. One post captured the moment bluntly: "I thought my TV was messing up, but no, the lights went out in the Madrid Stadium in the #Bengals vs #Falcons game. #NFL https://t.co/Zg0udLc7AV"
The blackout didn’t last long. Power returned moments later, and the game moved on without the outage affecting a key sequence.
It was a bizarre scene, but not one football has never seen before. The source of the comparison is the 2013 Super Bowl, when the lights went out at Mercedes-Benz Superdome for 34 minutes before the Baltimore Ravens went on to beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31.
For Cincinnati, the night still ended with a win and a 6-2 record in the 2026 NFL season, putting Joe Burrow and the Bengals among the AFC’s top teams.
The Bernabeu, of course, is usually home to Real Madrid in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. On Sunday, though, it was the backdrop for a different kind of star power, with Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson giving international fans a look at the NFL in Spain.
In Other News...
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Goldens progress in Cincinnati may end up mattering well beyond this season, because it could shape whether he keeps building here or becomes a candidate for other opportunities. His name still carries weight at Notre Dame, and with the Bengals trying to stabilize a defense that has been under plenty of scrutiny, every week seems to add another layer to the question of where he lands next. [Read more 🡒]
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Now the focus shifts to Pittsburgh, where a much bigger test awaits next week. Burrows recent form has him sitting atop the MVP conversation, and the Bengals will need that same level of command against a Steelers team that is always eager to turn these matchups into a grind. For Cincinnati, the question is no longer whether Burrow is playing at a high level. It is how far he can carry them when the stakes rise again. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrows Game Day Choice Could Start A New Bengals Debate
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The footwear choice is the kind of detail that can quickly turn into a bigger NFL debate, especially when the league has already shown it will police similar looks. Caddix has been getting buzz from prominent names, including Tom Brady, and it has also surfaced around Burrows backup, Joe Flacco, which only adds to the visibility. For a Bengals team that already lives under a microscope when Burrow is involved, even a pair of cleats can become part of the larger conversation. [Read more 🡒]