Mike Pennel’s reason for signing with the Bengals will make Cincinnati fans even more excited about the upcoming season

New Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Mike Pennel might be on the practice squad for now, but he’s hoping to help the team make it back to the playoffs this season.

Pennel, who was released by the Kansas City Chiefs last week, labeled Cincinnati as a team ready to make the postseason after his first practice wearing Bengals colors.

“It was unexpected, me leaving K.C.,” Pennel told WLWT’s Charlie Clifford Monday afternoon. “But I was looking for the best opportunity with a playoff-ready team, and thank God Cincinnati came up.”

Mike Pennel on joining the Bengals: "I was looking for the best opportunity with a playoff ready team and thank god Cincinnati came up." pic.twitter.com/Du8Z5TJ5ga

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) September 1, 2025

Mike Pennel believes Bengals are primed for playoff return

Pennel is fresh off playing in every single game the Chiefs played to try and complete the three-peat last year. He’s already climbed the mountain twice and has two rings to prove it, and has played in as many postseason games as there are in an NFL team’s regular season.

Being a part of a playoff team is what drives the 34-year old nose tackle to keep pushing 12 years into his career.

“Competitive edge man, love of the game,” Pennel told Clifford. “Anytime you can play for somebody that has a genuine chance in the playoffs and even further, it’s not hard to get up and do it when you got that opportunity.”

Pennel has played in seven postseason games since the Bengals were last in the bracket, and yet, the experienced veteran who’s been a part of 13 playoff wins to just four losses identified Cincinnati as a team primed to return.

That affirms what many in the building already believe, and fans should be excited to hear it as well.

Missing the playoffs in back-to-back years has been rough for Cincinnati and its fanbase. Every year Joe Burrow and Co. spends January on the couch instead of playing under the lights is a wasted opportunity.

2025 becomes all the more important to buck the trend, and Pennel now has a hand in doing so.