Bengals lend their support with visit to Blue Jackets game

Trey Hendrickson grew up in Orlando, Fla., went to school outside of Miami at Florida Atlantic University and started his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints.
The Cincinnati Bengals defensive end found NHL hockey in only one of those places. During his time at FAU, he and his friends would buy cheap glass seats and attend Florida Panthers games.
"It's the greatest thing for a college kid," he said.

But now that Hendrickson is a stalwart for the two-time defending AFC North champion Bengals, he's a true blue Blue Jackets fan. Hendrickson has worn Blue Jackets jerseys while arriving for Cincinnati games before, and his wife, Alisa, has a custom CBJ jersey as well.
"It's a no brainer," Hendrickson said of his CBJ fandom. "There's no hockey team in Orlando, Florida, so we were just waiting for an opportunity to have some type of loyalty, and we have found a home here."

So while the Bengals unfortunately fell short of making the Super Bowl for a second straight year, falling on a last-second field goal in Sunday's AFC Championship Game, the consolation prize for Hendrickson and some of his teammates was the chance to take in the Jackets' game Tuesday night vs. Washington.
Hendrickson, tight end Hayden Hurst, and linebackers Clay Johnston, Joe Bachie and Logan Wilson made the trip to Nationwide Arena for the game. All five were welcomed to center ice before the game for the ceremonial first puck drop between CBJ captain Boone Jenner and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin.

For Hendrickson, considering his mother-in-law and father-in-law hail from Russia, meeting the No. 2 goal scorer in NHL history stood out.
"That was unbelievable," he said.
The Bengals took in the game from a suite, while Hendrickson even appeared on the Blue Jackets radio network during the second intermission.

Scroll down to see more from the Bengals' visit to Columbus.