Joe Burrow, Bengals find camaraderie on unusual battlefield

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow looked like he had the game sealed. His queen was advancing up the board. His rook, flanking the left side, was in a solid position. What unfolded after a bad move by his opponent early in the game seemed inevitable. "He had me dead to rights," said William Wagner, the Bengals' long-snapper. But Wagner battled. He made one defensive move with his king, and just like that, they had a stalemate. Cincinnati's first week of training camp has featured a few spirited practices, a noted practice scuffle and an intense edge from a team sick of missing the playoffs. But as it has looked to put the rest of the AFC North in check in 2026, the first days of the season have also featured a chessboard. Like other team activities this offseason, the game has allowed the Bengals to unwind and spend downtime at the facility and also increase the chemistry needed to become a great team. And it's a window into the mindset of a teammate. "It is fun because chess is like a personality game, you know?" said Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Coker. "It's like, what are you thinking? Are you trying to go? Are you playing defensive? Playing the long game? Trying to win now? I like it." Cincinnati can thank center Ted Karras and the addition of more offensive linemen this offseason. In April's draft, the Bengals selected center Connor Lew (No. 128) and offensive tackle Brian Parker II (No. 189), which stretched the seating arrangement inside the locker room farther down the left wall. Annoyed by the lack of proximity, Karras devised a plan. He wanted to add a table to add a gathering space for the position group. Bengals left guard Dylan Fairchild, a rookie last season, found a brown, circular table on Facebook Marketplace for roughly $300. But along with a place to watch practice film, Karras felt like something was missing. "I just wanted something to do," Karras said. So he brought in the chessboard. After the team practiced Thursday, Karras and Coker played the inaugural game. As they shifted pieces around the board, a crowd gathered. Other offensive linemen started to watch. Eventually Burrow and fellow quarterback Joe Flacco joined the gallery. The pressure was on. "They see moves that you probably should make and you may or may not make it and then they react," said Coker, who used two pawns-turned-queens to beat Karras. "Or they make a noise. You're like, 'Did I make the wrong move or something?'" Tight end Erick All Jr. was one of the interested parties. For the bulk of his college career, he was at Michigan along with Wagner and Bengals cornerbacks DJ Turner II and Dax Hill. Chessboards sprawled in the cafeteria. Wagner reminded him of one story that he forgot. One year, All was locked into a match with then-Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, an avid chess player. Harbaugh was noted for taking his time before making his next move. And All was getting concerned looking at the clock. #NFL QB Joe Burrow. Offseason chess player. pic.twitter.com/UrWwoaFQzb — MLFootball (@MLFootball) June 18, 2024 "The team meeting was about to start and he was like, 'Don't move. Stay here,'" All recalled. "We were like five minutes late to this meeting, playing chess, in a game that we didn't even get to finish." All is considered one of the best at chess in the locker room. All, who has progressed well in his first year back from a knee injury he suffered in 2024, estimates his highest ever Elo rating -- a skill level rating where the average person is typically between 800 and 900 -- was around 980. But he believes Burrow still holds the crown as the locker room's best (Burrow, a longtime player, declined to divulge his Elo rating). But for the Bengals, what matters most is the camaraderie being fostered, especially ahead of an important season. The Bengals have missed the playoffs three years in a row after advancing to the Super Bowl in 2021. "It felt good, the guys all gathering around the table," All said. "It's a good way to bring guys [together]. And you got to be smart. You got to know your way around the board to play. You just can't be making senseless moves." Over the course of the season, players can expect to see more games on the table. Karras said he'll plan on bringing in Catan at some point to play during lighter days. When the workload is heavy and rigorous, Karras said he'll slide the games under the table. "I don't want to be 'Gaming Guy' and we're going against [Dexter Lawrence II] today," Karras said. But after the first extended session of camp wrapped up Saturday, the chessboard was sitting at the edge of the table. The pieces were on the board, waiting to be deployed for the next battle.