Misery keeps piling on Bengals following Super Bowl 2022 loss

The Cincinnati Bengals annihilated expectations by making it to the Super Bowl this year. However, the team peaked late in the game and it has been nothing but pain since they lost the lead late in the fourth quarter. Adding to the emotional drag is the loss of a financial partner.

According to Total Pro Sports, the team lost its contract with TriHealth. The medical systems provider chose to end its seven-year, $2 million annual contract. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, losing $14 million could be seen as a drop in the bucket for some. However, it is just one more thing going against the Bengals in the month of February.

Before ending the partnership, the provider decided to send four employees to the Super Bowl via random drawing. However, it served as a bittersweet ending, as it would be one of the last interactions between the two parties. According to the report, the provider cited Covid-19 as a catalyst for the reduction.

Covid-19 hurt the provider's finances to the point where they needed to cut and chose to part ways with the team. In other words, the parting of ways was amicable, giving hope that the sponsor may return in the future once they recover.

What's next for the Cincinnati Bengals?

Super Bowl LVI - Los Angeles Rams v Cincinnati Bengals

Despite losing the sponsor, the difference between where the Bengals were in 2020 versus where they are heading into 2022 is nothing short of objectively wild. Looking back, the team was riding the quarterback carousel in 2019 and in 2021 and had a lead in Super Bowl LVI. However, what's next for the Bengals?

Considering the team made the Super Bowl this year without the massive buildup of free agent talent, the team still has that road to travel down. In the past, the top Super Bowl teams were sprinkled with a lot of free agency stars. Now, after showing the world what they can do, plenty of teams are interested in joining the squad.

Rob Gronkowski has already said that he would be interested in joining Joe Burrow. He could be the first of many free agent pickups coming in March, giving the team even more firepower heading into next season. Joe Burrow will be more experienced and it will show in the playoffs as well. As such, there is a decent chance the team could get back to the big game again next year.

Of course, one still needs to play it out and anything could happen. Will the team be even better in 2022 than in 2021? One can only wait and see.