Ben Baby, the Cincinnati Bengals’ beat writer for ESPN, has become a prominent voice in sports journalism since joining the network in July 2019. He’s with the Bengals on a daily basis. Anecdotal evidence to tease out team performance vs. team dynamics, especially during high-profile periods such as contract negotiations.
Prior to his time at ESPN, Baby sharpened his craft at a number of daily newspapers throughout the state of Texas. He was most recently the higher ed reporter with The Dallas Morning News, where he covered college athletics extensively. That experience has been incredibly valuable for his reporting on the NFL. Baby’s expertise comes to life across platforms. You may see him on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL Live and other ESPN Radio shows.
Born and raised in Grapevine, Texas, Baby graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of North Texas. His experience and passion for sports journalism have made him a trusted friend to all fans with their eyes on the Bengals.
Most recently, Bengals’ first-round pick Shemar Stewart was in the news for sharp comments about contract holdouts on the team. Stewart said, “In my defense, which I’m 100% correct on,” responding to worries about his contract negotiations. He really drove home his point of view on the crisis. “I’m not asking for something that hasn’t been done before,” he said. In [the team’s defense], you all just wanna win an argument rather than win more games, I think.
Stewart was adamant about the role that his teammates played in helping him through this difficult period, too. He remarked, “It’s made it very easy when the people in your locker room say you’re doing the right things. Though contract disputes are common, internal support can have a big impact on how players navigate them. It also has an impact on the culture of the team.
As Baby’s reporting makes clear, these negotiations are often complicated. It further points out their significance to the Bengals as they continue preparing for the 2023 season. The team’s management will need to address Stewart’s concerns promptly to maintain morale and focus on their goals for success.
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