VP JD Vance Mocked After Bengals Players Largely Ignore Him in Locker Room

Vice President JD Vance became the subject of widespread online ridicule Wednesday after video footage showed Cincinnati Bengals players largely ignoring him as they passed through the team’s locker room during his visit to their facility.

Awkward Encounter Caught on Video

The incident occurred during Vance’s visit to the Bengals’ training facility where he met with head coach Zac Taylor and the players as they returned from practice, according to ML Football. Sports director Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati shared footage of Vance touring the locker room with a large entourage. However, a second video showed a starkly different scene, capturing Vance standing near a walkway while Bengals players shuffled past him without acknowledging his presence.

Only one player was seen shaking Vance’s hand, while the rest appeared to ignore the vice president entirely. Eventually, Vance walked away as players continued to file through the corridor.

Online Reaction: Mockery and Scorn

The footage quickly went viral, sparking a wave of mockery on social media. The political commentary account MeidasTouch posted, “Yikes. Most of them completely ignored him.” Similarly, the Tennessee Holler account remarked, “They almost all ignore him.”

Journalist Pedro L. Gonzalez offered a harsh critique, stating, “One guy on the entire team acknowledges the existence of the vice president of the United States who is standing just feet away. Humiliating.”

Ohio Politics News mocked the moment with the comment, “lmao at Vance slowly realizing none of them know who he is.” Bengals fan Lorenzo Sorice expressed satisfaction with the snub, tweeting he was “happy to see most of them ignored him” in Vance’s home state.

Political Commentators Join the Criticism

Evan Grace Chong, an executive with Steve Bannon’s “War Room,” appeared to jab Vance, writing on social media, “I kinda feel sorry for him,” accompanied by a laughing emoji. Political commentator and podcast host Krystal Ball summarized the event bluntly as “Humiliating.”

The incident marks an unusual moment for the vice president, highlighting the challenges of public perception and recognition even within Vance’s home state sports community.

While the Bengals players’ behavior sparked widespread commentary, Vance has not publicly responded to the viral footage as of Wednesday evening.

The encounter adds to the complex political climate surrounding Vice President Vance, who assumed office alongside President Donald Trump’s second term beginning January 20, 2025.

As the viral videos continue to circulate, the episode remains a talking point among political observers and sports fans alike, emphasizing the intersection of sports culture and national politics.