Former CFL Standout Impresses in Cincinnati Bengals' Preseason Opener

The starters played a couple of possessions in the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason opener, but the story of the night came from one of the lowest players on the depth chart.

Former CFL star Dohnte Meyers signed a reserve contract with the Bengals in January, and he got his first chance to showcase his talents against an NFL team Thursday night. He recorded just three receptions for 29 yards, but led the team in both categories. It wasn’t an offensive explosion for the former Delta State Statesman, but the performance caught the eye of Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback.

Joe Burrow said Meyers not only had an impressive preseason debut, but he’s also been making plays throughout training camp. He commended Meyers’ understanding of the offensive scheme and credited his CFL experience for helping him hit the ground running with the Bengals.

The plays may not have been trending on social media, but Burrow took notice of Meyers’ work ethic over the last couple of weeks.

Meyers’ dedication was a topic of conversation because of a story that came out a week before training camp. Burrow had texted the wideout to see if he was in town and available to work out the next morning, to which Meyers answered yes. He then drove all night from Atlanta to Cincinnati to be a part of a throwing session with Burrow at 11 a.m.

“That’s just the kind of guy he is,” Burrow said.

When asked about it, Meyers made it simple why he made the seven-and-a-half-hour drive. He felt like it was a blessing for Burrow to reach out to him, and he didn’t want to waste an opportunity to work with someone he called a great leader. Meyers compared the commute to his drive to school, downplaying the night-long trip.

“If Joe Burrow wants to throw to me, I’m going to be there,” Meyers said.

Meyers took time to reflect on his first game action in the NFL following Thursday’s matchup with the Lions, making sure to note that he is 100% for the team and was happy they secured the win. He also said he was thankful to be out there and to have the opportunity to play in front of Bengals fans at Paycor Stadium.

The 26-year-old doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself and wants to take everything one day at a time. Meyers said he thinks he was able to go out and compete against Detroit, but he’s going to keep his head down and not dwell on the past or look too far into the future as the preseason rolls on.

“That’s just my job,” Meyers said. “I’m here to play football to the best of my abilities.”