HAMILTON, Ohio — Former Bengal Matt Lengel holds many titles, but he hopes his next title can help a new generation of athletes reach the highest level.
A Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, Lengel still remembers the moments leading up to the big game in 2017.
"The colors are more vivid, the lights are brighter, the people are more and more famous," Lengel said. "It’s still a matter of making sure that you get your work in during the week, during the day.”
The former tight end also remembers the long days of preparation spent at Spooky Nook in Lancaster, Penn., training for his shot at the NFL. Now, Lengel is the director of facility operations for the new location set to open in Hamilton.
“Long days in there," Lengel said. "It’s just crazy to me now that I’m actually working at a new location."
When opened, Lengel says the facility will be a sports mecca — not just providing thousands of athletes with a place to play, but giving them a place to train so they too can one day play at the highest level.
"It’s just a matter of utilizing the facility. It’s going to be top-notch,” Lengel said. "I think all we can do is just supplement that, and help it out as much as we can. Hopefully make the athletes bigger, faster, and stronger.”
It has been four years since he was last with the Bengals, and a lot has changed. Though there are new players and coaches, Lengel said the friendships he made in Cincinnati still carry on to this day.
"Clark Harris, Kevin Huber, C.J. Uzomah, Darrin Simmons — one of my favorite coaches I had in the NFL and my career, hope the best for him," Lengel said.
Now living in Cincinnati, Lengel said he is rooting for the Bengals to win the Super Bowl.
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