On December 16, 2023, Jake Browning led the Cincinnati Bengals to an impressive 27–24 overtime victory against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Bengals, down 17–3 in the second half, staged a comeback, securing the win with Evan McPherson’s 29-yard field goal.
This comeback marked the Bengals’ most significant in five years and boosted their playoff chances with an 8–6 record.
Despite Browning’s pivotal role in the win—accumulating 324 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception—he faced an unexpected development.
Amid celebration, the NFL notified him of an upcoming urine steroid test, as shared by Browning on his Instagram Story.
MAN, Jake Browning’s performance seemed too good to be true. 😅
(📸: @jake_browning) pic.twitter.com/VD1s76hEN0
— theScore (@theScore) December 16, 2023
Every week during the regular season, the NFL randomly tests 10 players from each team, even those on the practice squad.
They also do a yearly PES drug test for all active players to check for performance-enhancing drugs.
In 2018, the NFL and the players’ association agreed that every player must be tested at least once a year, with 10 players getting tested weekly.
If a player refuses or fails the test, they’ll be treated as if they tested positive, facing the same punishment.
If someone is found using drugs, both are informed about the penalties. If a player is unhappy with the result, they can appeal. An example is Richard Sherman in 2012, who won an appeal and avoided a 4-game suspension by proving there were mistakes in how the test was conducted.
Besides, in a post-game interview, Browning opened up about the emotional factor involved in beating the Vikings, his former team.
He expressed disappointment with how the Vikings handled his release in 2021, sharing that they informed him through his agent rather than directly.
"I've been cut my fair share of times, but that was probably the shi**iest one."
– Jake Browning, on getting cut by the Vikings 2 years ago
Jake detailed what happened – and said he screamed into a TV camera after today's win:
"THEY NEVER SHOULD'VE CUT ME!"— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) December 16, 2023
Browning passionately stated, “They never should’ve cut me!” immediately after McPherson’s game-winning kick.
Browning, a four-year starter at Washington from 2015 to 2018, holds school and Pac-12 records for wins and passing.
After going undrafted, he joined the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 before making an impact with the Cincinnati Bengals.
