NFL Report: Joe Burrow and the Bengals could be on the move from Cincinnati soon

Not many NFL clubs have relocated in recent years, but the Bengals could become one of them. Reports suggest that Joe Burrow‘s team may not stay in Cincinnati for much longer due to a major issue the front office must address immediately.

In recent years, the Chargers and Raiders left San Diego and Oakland, respectively. These moves were significant for their fan bases, as they had to watch their teams relocate to new cities due to various challenges.

Last offseason, rumors swirled about a potential relocation involving the Chiefs and Kansas City. Now, it’s the Bengals’ turn, and the situation for the AFC North club appears serious—raising the very real possibility of them leaving Cincinnati.

Bengals face the tough reality of leaving Cincinnati soon

No fan wants their team to relocate, but it’s a scenario that can happen to any franchise. In the NFL, several clubs have left their original cities for new homes, and now the Bengals could be next.

The lease at Paycor Stadium is set to expire on June 30, 2026. The team has an option to extend the contract for two more years, but they must decide before June 30, 2025.

Team executive VP Katie Blackburn has now addressed the issue, revealing that the front office is carefully considering which option best serves the club’s interests.

“We play it day by day, and like everything else, we just continue to have discussions, see where things are, and then have to make decisions at the appropriate time,” Blackburn said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Essentially, if the Bengals choose not to exercise the two-year extension, they will need to start searching for a new home this summer. While no clear relocation options have emerged, this could simply be a negotiation tactic to pressure Hamilton County, which owns the stadium, into offering a more favorable deal to keep the team in Cincinnati.

“We could, I guess, go wherever we wanted after this year if we didn’t pick the up option up,” Blackburn said. “So, you know, we’ll see. Like I said, all these things will be done in due course. We are having discussions, and so we’re hopeful that the county is thinking about it a lot too and wants to get it addressed in a way that would be beneficial to both of us.”