The Cincinnati Bengals are reportedly hosting running back Joe Mixon for a weekend visit after he impressed scouts with some impressive measurables at his pro day last week. One person who isn’t impressed by Cincinnati’s decision is former Baltimore Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr., who’s now breaking his own news for NFL Network.
https://twitter.com/89SteveSmith/status/841012018446508034
He came under a bit of fire for this tweet by one person who said he shouldn’t throw rocks in a glass house. Smith Sr. wasn’t having it.
https://twitter.com/89SteveSmith/status/841016737453727744
https://twitter.com/89SteveSmith/status/841017337407012864
Now, Smith Sr. has a bit of his own history with the club (watch here), so he’s not exactly an impartial judge here.
That said, the Bengals are notorious for bringing in players who have a less than reputable track record. Two very prominent current examples are linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who came out of college as an undrafted free agent because of all his red flags, and cornerback Adam Jones, who continues to make news for all the wrong reasons to this day.
Mixon was not invited to the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine because of a 2014 incident in which he hit a female student so hard she suffered fractured bones in her face. This news became prominently reported again this past year when a video of the brutal attack became public.
No doubt, there are many who back Smith Sr. for his stance regarding Cincinnati and its “low standards.”