JD Vance stopped by Cincinnati Bengals practice on Wednesday as he took a brief pause from campaigning ahead of the midterms.
The vice president grew up an hour north of Cincinnati in Middletown, Ohio, and is a longtime Bengals fan.
He was in town to make a speech at the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office and at a campaign rally in nearby Sharonville. But he also made a ‘swift’ trip to watch Joe Burrow and Co on Wednesday afternoon.
His visit came just a day after Donald Trump refused to endorse his vice president as he stood behind him in the Oval Office.
Footage posted to social media on Wednesday showed Vance greeting Zac Taylor’s players as they headed out for practice.
Both the head coach and tight end Drew Sample shook the vice president’s hand but many players did not come over. According to NBC 5 Cincinnati, Vance was also given a tour of the Bengals locker room.
JD Vance stopped by Cincinnati Bengals practice as he took a brief pause from campaigning
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample shook the vice president’s hand before practice
‘That’s what I love about what I do… it brings a lot of people together,’ Joe Burrow said
Quarterback Burrow, who said he only learned about the visit when owner Mike Brown ‘told me on the sideline,’ was later asked if he had the chance to meet the vice president.
‘We did not,’ he said. ‘He came with everybody and left with swiftness and efficiency before the end of practice. So I didn’t get to.’
Burrow was then quizzed on how it felt to have Vance at practice. ‘Yeah, a lot of people around,’ he said.
‘That’s what I love about what I do is it brings a lot of people together, and people want to take time out of their day to come and watch what we do, watch what I do, and watch all the work that I’ve put in to come and watch greatness.’
As reported by The Athletic, Vance’s motorcade arrived at the Kettering Health practice fields around 2.15pm local time on Wednesday.
The vice president was joined by Secret Service agents and police dogs, who were seen patrolling the perimeter of the Bengals practice facility.
Burrow and Co are preparing to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, with the Bengals looking to move to 4-2 for the season.
On Tuesday, meanwhile, Trump was asked about an interview with Vance where he said he believed the President would endorse him if he ran in 2028.
‘Well, I tell you this, he’s a very talented person,’ Trump said. ‘And he’s a very good person, but I literally – I don’t think we’ve ever talked about.’
While in town, Vance also spoke at a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center
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Vance standing behind him, said: ‘No, sir. I said that too.’
The vice president’s face appeared to turn red and he laughed as the focus in the room turned to him.
Trump continued: ‘I don’t talk about it with him, he doesn’t talk about it with me. It’s early. We are very early right now, we have to get through the midterms, we’ll see how it goes.’
Trump has repeatedly stopped short of anointing Vance his successor. He hedged in August by describing the vice president as the likely favorite but also floated Marco Rubio as a potential running mate.
Vance on Monday told veteran political journalist and Daily Mail contributor Mark Halperin: ‘Look, I think if I run, the President will endorse me… but I don’t know, man, I haven’t talked to him about it.’
