ARLINGTON, Texas – After the game, special teams veteran C.J. Goodwin acknowledged the media for "doing their job" when trying to talk to Amani Oruwariye after the game-changing mistake in the fourth quarter.
"But I'm doing my job, too."
Goodwin, stood next to Oruwariye for the entire post-game locker room session and waved off a handful of reporters trying to speak to the veteran cornerback after he muffed a blocked punt that gave the Bengals the ball for a go-ahead touchdown.
Goodwin, who called himself the special teams captain, explained later why he shut down any interview with Oruwariye.
"Ya'll think it's football … but there's life outside of football," Goodwin said. "When I see my man going through something mentally, I'm not going to have (the media) bringing up the play over and over. We're not going to do that."
Goodwin said he did the same thing back in 2021 when Nahshon Wright had a similar play in a loss to the Broncos when a punt was blocked forward and he couldn't come up with the play, resulting in a failed opportunity.
But this play was a little different, as Oruwaryie had more time after the punt was blocked by Nick Vigil and the ball rolled around towards midfield.
Blocking as the gunner as the left cornerback on the return team, Oruwaryie turned back around after the blocked punt to see the ball bouncing and decided to field it. When he didn't catch it, the ball became "live" again and the Bengals recovered to regain possession with 1:53 to play with the scored tied 20-20. Cincinnati scored four plays later on a touchdown to Ja'Marr Chase to grab the eventual touchdown.
Ironically enough, Oruwariye was added to the roster earlier in the day Monday afternoon, being activated from injured reserve. He played four games in the middle of the season before an injury against the 49ers landed him on IR. Oruwariye returned to practice this week and was called up before the game.
Even though he's a six-year veteran with 58 games under his belt, Oruwariye had a lapse in judgement. But along with Goodwin, veteran Jourdan Lewis said it's not a play that should define him.
"Big plays happen and everybody sees it," Lewis said. "We have to stay with him and keep encouraging him. We don't want that moment to define him. We have to stay behind him. That's just football. Some things roll your way and some things don't. I can't blame him trying to make a play."
