Evan McPherson didn’t do much wrong in 2021. The Bengals rookie kicker made 28 of 33 field goals and 46 of 48 extra points in the regular season.
He tied Adam Vinatieri for most field goals made (14) in a single postseason, going 14-of-14 with back-to-back, game-winning field goals to send the Bengals to the Super Bowl.
But the Bengals weren’t exactly thrilled that cameras caught McPherson sitting on the team’s bench watching the halftime show instead of in the locker room with his teammates.
“That’s a sore subject,” special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons said, via Jay Morrison of TheAthletic.com. “That’s a real sore subject.”
Long snapper Clark Harris also stayed on the field to catch the performances by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem and others. Harris, though, was smart enough to hide from the cameras.
The Bengals might not get over the result of Super Bowl LVI, but it’s a safe bet they’ll quickly forgive McPherson for his halftime transgression. His 42 combined field goals in 2021 set the team record, bettering the mark of 34 by Mike Nugent in 2011.
McPherson had five walk-off game-winners, including the two in the playoffs, and his 12 field goals from 50-plus yards beat the team’s previous single-season record of three and already has set the franchise’s career mark.
