The recent journey for the Cincinnati Bengals pro shop at Paul Brown Stadium just shows how much can change in a hurry.
Cincinnati’s pro shop closed on March 16 and hadn’t reopened until this week.
Andy Dalton and Tyler Eifert apparel could still be seen in the windows of the shop recently.
Granted, the shop underwent a big overhaul before the grand reopening this week, including a massive Joe Burrow makeover with all sorts of jerseys and items pertaining to his No. 9.
It’s a quick, somewhat staggering look at how fast things can change — in football and otherwise. While the Bengals used free agency and the draft to overhaul the roster, the coronavirus pandemic stuttered things to a halt. That roster overhaul swapped out a longtime veteran starter for Burrow and let notables like Eifert, Dre Kirkpatrick and others go while spending a massive amount of money on the open market.
ESPN’s Ben Baby provided the contrast:
How long has the pandemic lasted? Andy Dalton, Tyler Eifert jerseys are still hanging in the Bengals' pro shop. It's been closed since March 16. pic.twitter.com/UCoxqz5YtG
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) June 2, 2020
When the Bengals' pro shop reopens tomorrow, they will have plenty of Joe Burrow gear for sale. pic.twitter.com/x3A3sENFSh
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) June 2, 2020
The pro shop restricted the opening to no more than 25 people at a time, encouraged masks and social distancing.
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