What If Carson Palmer Never Tore His ACL In The 2005 Playoffs?

The biggest 'what if' in Bengals history.
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[@LJWalter78]

Thanks for the stroll down that soul-crushing memory lane. I remember thinking it was for sure over when the cameras began shooting Jon Kitna warming up on the sidelines… Also at that moment I heard a phrase spoken around me I’ll never forget; “You can’t spell KITNA without I-N-T!” It re-affirmed my initial thoughts. We spent the rest of the evening pounding countless Jäegermeisters and Coors lights. My buddy and myself ran an impressive $90 bar tab. The cost of drowning our sorrows I suppose…? 🤷🏻‍♂️😭😭🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@LachlansSportsChannel]

The song on this video is from the underwater levels of donkey kong country

[@kfazo162]

Who’s here after joe burrow?

[@josephkamara242]

Me it’s really sad because I feel like joe burrow will not be the same but he could very well come back tho

[@mpcr9799]

@@josephkamara242 palmer tore his acl a little later in his career

[@blaeddittman6580]

@@josephkamara242 actually he's better now lol

[@jonvisser1509]

Carson tough guy. He took Cardinals to NFC Championship. That saying something

[@369TP]

What if Terrell Owen's had both ankles in the SuperBowl

[@johnflorio3576]

The bomb from Carson Palmer to Chris Henry was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life.

[@justinbrown1118]

Huge Steelers fan, an can confirm we were 100% losing that WC game if Palmer didn't get hurt.

[@wesleypepple7525]

Quit lying

[@jll716]

Um … one week after this game the Steelers beat the only quarterback in the league with a higher rating than Carson (Peyton Manning). They were perfectly capable of beating a healthy top offense.

[@willtactix]

Great video. Sadly I remember that season. The defense was good that year too

[@briansprague3427]

lead the league in turnovers on defense. Deltha oneil and tory james were amazing

[@MrJerryscool]

​@@briansprague3427 Delta lived in my Neighborhood and would often run on the track at my highschool.

[@josephleon7125]

This is why linemen shouldn't go for the legs. It should be a penalty for sure.

[@manbok2035]

Nowadays this would be roughing the passer, he went for his knee after the ball has already gone.

[@jackbquick584]

It was a dirty play. I'll never believe otherwise

[@jaxsonrogie2816]

@@manbok2035 to be fair roughing the passer wouldnt do anything, took a potential hof player and made him a pretty good player

[@connorakers668]

who's here after Joe Burrow got the Bengals to the Super Bowl

[@savharris5702]

I'm def one of the guys who thought that Palmer was on his way, prior to that injury

[@qmaster7565]

Great video. Thanks for making it!

[@TheKCReviewer]

Thats why I don't understand why he says the Bengals organization doesn't want to win...he was part of the big change that led Cincinnati to start a different mind set of winning..sorry to say it but the Steelers runied your career in Cincinnati..we has Bengals fans never wanted him to get injured like that..in 05 we would have been champs if it wasn't for a dirty play and you can't blame Mike brown or Marvin Lewis..or winning ways on that..the city wanted to win just as bad as he did

[@josephhecht6331]

Great video, awesome channels! Brings back so many memories for a fellow 2000s-2010s Browns fan. What if the Butch Davis/Tim Couch project of '01-'03 had worked out??? The Browns sweep the Bengals in '05 and none of this happens. Lol. I love the Rush/Neil Peart tribute at the end too By chance, do you have any footage of the Browns 1999 upset win @Pittsburgh? Would love to see it

[@RamenRobbie]

Long live Rush. I don't have any footage from that game, but I should get my hands on some.

[@jakesalsberry4394]

Can you do a video on the last 5 game stretch for the Browns in 2009? -Browns get first win against Pittsburgh in years -Josh Cribbs plays qb and returns 2 kickoffs for TDs -Jerome Harrison has the 3rd best rushing performance in NFL history Would love to see this!

[@jakesalsberry4394]

Also after starting season 0-11 they finish with 5 straight wins as soon as mike holgram is hired

[@ryanbowling2144]

That was the greatest bengals team in history!!!!

[@lambert581]

What if The Immaculate Reception went the Raiders way.

[@robertzenniful]

They would’ve gotten steamrolled by the 72 Dolphins just like they did in 73. The Raiders of the early 70s were incapable of stopping the run.

[@fport10]

What if Steelers players didn’t go at other players legs?

[@whodeycards1010]

Good video!

[@markrobertson2196]

We'll never know for sure, got to remember though, the Steelers beat the Bengals at home in October 2005 so I can't say it would've been a guaranteed Cincinnati win

[@jharp08]

But the bengals did beat Pittsburgh in December 38-31 shoot out

[@markrobertson2196]

@@jharp08 true and it was a closer game than what it seemed, but the Steelers beating them in Cincinnati in October that season by 2 touchdowns showed that the Steelers were plenty capable of beating them even if Carson Palmer was on the field for the Bengals

[@Sonic8577]

@@markrobertson2196 The steelers got lucky in all their playoffs games that year, They beat the bengals cause they has a bad second string QB, They beat the colts on a missed fg, and they beat a denver team who was a good team but not no where near as good as the bengals and colts.

[@mtn9272]

And? The Bengals also beat Pitt at home in December. Dunno if you know this, but December is actually after October, so the Bengals had the most recent win.

[@mewtwo255200]

I believe he would have given the Bengals a Super bowl win. The same way I believe that he would have given the Cardinals their first Super Bowl win in the 2014-2015 season if he didn’t tear his ACL in week 10. Also I firmly believe the Cardinals would have gone 16-0 if he did not go down.

[@psionicstorm3961]

You believe a lot.

[@LouisGFranco]

I have a bridge out in San Francisco to sell you, or another out in Brooklyn for that matter.

[@omars__volta]

If cardinals won the wildcard vs Panthers they had to face Packers at Lambeau, they wouldn't beat Rogers and Nelson at Lambeau

[@wesleypepple7525]

You must have a magic lamp

[@Benger2185]

@@omars__volta Cards did beat the packers. they played the Panthers in the NFC Championship, Palmer's first decent team since the 2009 Bengals

[@treyduke22]

Buttefly effect... quadrilion to the quadillionth power of possibilities.

[@regularm1ke]

05 Bengals definitely make it to the AFC championship game, at least.

[@lambert581]

That injury ruined Carson Palmer after it he was never the same

[@jduncs7]

He was even better in Arizona

[@HDRookie]

Hey, i'm curious, but what's the background music at 2:31? I hear it all the time but don't know what it's called or where to find it lol. and man, this still makes me so sad to think about. Hopefully Joe Burrow rights some wrongs

[@RamenRobbie]

It's an NFL Films song. I forget the name but it's by Sam Spence I believe.

[@HDRookie]

@@RamenRobbie Appreciate the response, thanks!

[@toledoseahawks3348]

What would have happened? Bngals had won against the Steelers and the Seahawks had won their first Super Bowl cause the refs hadn't decided the game in favor of the Steelers.

[@ericc1258]

Lol

[@Alejandr0_68ll8rd0]

Should do if Carson Palmer stayed

[@cincat8207]

Steelers would definitely have one less ring.

[@killalltogepis9916]

I doubt that. Carson Palmer is like 5-10 against the Steelers. Even if he didn't get injured in that game he and the Bengals still would have lost and the Steelers still have their six rings.

[@CommTechnology]

As Steelers fan hated that Palmer got hurt in that game. I think if you look at Von Olhoffen’s career there’s no trend toward dirty play. He was universally regarded as a solid guy and very much doubt that was intentional with malice. Perhaps Bengals win that one. Maybe not. Know they really struggled defensively that day. That era had some great games and a lot of bad blood.

[@dumontgo]

_Steelers would definitely have one less ring._ Absolutely. Pitt's team MVP for '05 should be Kimo.

[@killalltogepis9916]

@@dumontgo again Steelers beat the Bengals in Cincinnati when Carson Palmer was healthy that same year. Palmer was 5-10 against Pittsburgh in his career. Bengals would have lost even if Carson Palmer didn't get hurt.

[@psionicstorm3961]

@@dumontgo absolutely not. Steelers are just a better team back then just like they are now. Bengals fans need to accept that.

[@T-Pace]

Where did you find the highlights for the bengals vs browns 05 game?

[@RamenRobbie]

I have it on DVD.

[@T-Pace]

Ramen Robbie ahh damn I was gonna say I’d love to see it if you had it I would even pay lol

[@chuckcompton2092]

Another example of how the steelers play cheap shot on palmer they would have won the superbowl that season

[@spencerwebb3216]

They would have won the Super Bowl and the hit was dirty.

[@ALEXDD970]

4:50 is the answer to all this. if Houshmandzadeh doesnt do this, Palmer doesnt get injured. Karma is something else

[@dominiclowe3640]

Or the steelers are such dirty pieces of shit with shithoes for a fanbase and I was very when we kick your ass in the wild card this year

[@stonewall2869]

yes because purposefully injuring and destroying a players career is totally the same as making fun of a towel

[@Benger2185]

It actually goes deeper than his ACL tear: david Pollack's vertebrae injury, odell thurman's suspension, chris henry's rap sheet etc. etc. the bengals of mid-00's were the greatest what-if team in the history of the nfl, cause they had proven nothing at all while missing key players they pretty much lost their linebacker corps in 2006. Thurman was their ray lewis... there's more behind it, i'm just an avid bengals fan that had high hopes every season, yet I dreaded that decade

[@jharp08]

Ppl forget Odell Thurman sadly. My man was ray lewis but with hands :(

[@jharp08]

Steelers would have had one less ring if Palmer was healthy. The Bengals won the recent split matchup against the Steelers in Pittsburgh , henry goes down on the same play, kitna who didn't practice with the first team was put in to play and kelly Washington was inactive for that game so not having slot guy simplified their offense against a division rival who so happens to have a great defense. It was literally a perfect storm for the bengals to lose. Ppl forget David pollack had a career injury, Odell Thurman was huge his rookie year with over 100 tackles and 5 ints but was suspended and kick out the league due to substance issues only played that one seasons. I could go on it was a mess

[@WaynePryce]

Palmer lives in a frigging castle...Have you seen the video

[@chrisuncleahmad]

What if the Steelers/Jaguars had flip flopped wild card seeds (JAX wins 1 less game) and Cincinnati drew Jacksonville instead that year? Or Kansas City won one more game (KC wins a tiebreaker if they and PIT were 11-5)? If those Bengals drew the Jags/Chiefs, I don't think Palmer has his injury.

[@wesleypepple7525]

Shoulda coulda would have

[@Carzy2]

I was named after Carson palmer

[@SlimbyTheSillyGoose]

Palmer Probaly would be an all time great. He still may have a shot in the hall, but if that injury didn’t happen he’d be an all time great.

[@titan557]

If Carson doesn't get hurt, maybe he wins 6 Super Bowls and not Tom Brady. What if ???

[@robertzenniful]

Palmer always had a problem in throwing in cover three zone. He had a bad habit of throwing interceptions and he probably would have thrown another interception somewhere along this game. Plus the Bengals were notorious for having a forest run defense.

[@ryanyeager3258]

My leg 🦵 😫

[@Cmcj2828]

We would of won Super Bowl. But it’s all good we got it this year

[@wesleypepple7525]

That some good weed you got there

[@jaxensawhook4199]

The Steelers are dirty

[@TRez98]

Hahahahahaha

[@shadowwarriorshockwave3281]

What of Carson went didn’t tear his ACL

[@rocketroquan5074]

ShadowWarrior& Shockwave the Eagles wouldn’t have gone all the way, the eagles aren’t that good of a team as the niners were or Seahawks themselves this year

[@JJJJ-he8bz]

I cant see them beating the colts

[@cincat8207]

Is Carson Palmer was healthy in 2008, the Steelers don't win the Super Bowl that year. Bengals fans know what happened next year when we won the division.

[@masonrodgers1703]

They would’ve beat Steelers

[@johnnygold753]

They lose even bigger because when kitna came in they played furiously the steelers weathered that storm and spanked the bengals. So again they lose even BIGGER!

[@bkcurtin2621]

What if the Steelers and their fans weren't inbred mouth breathing knucle dragging pieces of shit? The world will never know #FTS

[@jaxensawhook4199]

They did it on purpose I feel like and should have been a flag

[@marcopolo2418]

You should not have to guess the other side of the playoff bracket lmao That side wasn't changed

[@ogreman-lll-957]

Not the bengals

[@fsanmiguel666]

I think Bill Cowher would've gone to Miami. He would've whipped that team into shape just like Bryan Flores did this season

[@jarodjohnson6630]

Maybe I'm being a little bias as a Manning fan and yes I. agree with most of the video. I've always said that Pittsburgh got lucky that year with Carson going down and Mike's missed kick and yes Cincinnati was better than Pittsburgh offensively but I seriously doubt Cinncy's defense would have contained Peyton Manning and that offense in the RCA Dome. The Bengals were just as explosive and very fun to watch that year I was seriously hoping a Bengals at Colts rematch in the AFC Championship game. Do to home field advantage and Peyton's and the Colt's chemistry and experience I'm afraid that the Bengal's Cinderella in season would have ended in the RCA Dome. Great video !

[@jharp08]

I was hoping for that too and tbh I would been ok if they lost to the colts. I don’t see them beating the Seahawks in the super bowl if the refs call the game the same

[@omars__volta]

LOL Colts got Lucky with that bullshit call on Polamalu interception, thats the only reason why that was a closest game, prior to that call, steelers were crushing Manning offense, he threw his offensive line under the bus in the post game press conference because they were unable to contain Joey Porter and Steelers D

[@Sonic8577]

I don't know about that, They had a terrible defensive but they played the colts in the regular season and almost won it. Cincinnati was tough team to beat that year no matter good of a team you were. The colts barley beat them in that game.

[@wesleypepple7525]

Should have would have could have

[@Sonic8577]

@@wesleypepple7525 The colts also had a habit of choking in the playoffs until they beat the bears in the super bowl so I don't see why they couldn't of beat the colts in the playoffs.

[@yinz_burgh0565]

It wasn't kimo's fault

[@BillyBob-ti2fz]

Yinz_ burgh06 it was a dirty play

[@yinz_burgh0565]

@@BillyBob-ti2fz how

[@BillyBob-ti2fz]

Yinz_ burgh06 went right for his leg it was dirty and the Steelers would’ve lost if Palmer didn’t get hurt

[@killalltogepis9916]

@@BillyBob-ti2fz steelers would have won anyways dude.

[@ASN_JAY]

@@killalltogepis9916 if Palmer played the whole game idk

[@tannermctanner3210]

The Curse of the Terrible Towel is why Carson tore ACL and why the Bengals lost to the Steelers

[@robertzenniful]

The Colts were AFC the number one Seed in 2005, not the Broncos

[@jasonarokiaraj9817]

As a Jet fan, I think that the Steelers would’ve won Super Bowl XL, even if Carson Palmer had stayed in the game and never gotten hurt. They (the Steelers) were clearly just the better team. The only difference is that both of the interceptions that big Ben Roethlisberger threw in Super Bowl XL would’ve been touchdown throws and he (Big Ben) would’ve been the one winning Super Bowl XL MVP, instead of teammate and safety, Troy Polamalu.

[@zacharyvalloric9076]

What a joke they never win

[@joshkay9979]

From a neutral point of view I still think the Steelers beat the Bengals if Palmer doesn’t get hurt, it was 31-17 and I don’t think Kitner held the Bengals back in any way. Maybe it would’ve been closer but I still give Pittsburgh the W.

[@breiter4697]

I agree. And even if they lost, I doubt they would of beat the Broncos at Mile High with the hostile crowd their. And I bet the Patriots would of beat the Colts as Tony dungys son killed himself. It kind of hurt them in a way and it showed against Pittsburgh. Then Denver beats NE. And Denver probably beats Seattle.

[@breiter4697]

Im a Steeler fan btw...

[@snowman9642]

Colts would’ve won the SuperBowl, edgerrin James would’ve stayed in Indy.

[@mattyb1030]

And bungles still suck

[@killalltogepis9916]

You people honestly think Carson Palmer and the Bengals would have beaten the Steelers in that playoff game if he didn't get injured? Look at Carson Palmer's record against Pittsburgh he's like 5-10 against them. Steelers would have won regardless of Palmer getting injured or not.

[@jharp08]

Up to that point Palmer was 1-2 with the Steelers that’s including couple games close and his first year as a starter with Palmer winning the recent matchup. It just depends on how the flow of the game would have gone. If Palmer gets hot early on, a 2005 roethlisberger wouldn’t have pulled them out of that less likely but if cincy would have let them hang around a bit maybe. Chance wouldn’t have been good but there’s always a chance.

[@graysonmichael8335]

"if his knee HELD UP"???? have you ever had a 300 pound defensive lineman throw himself at your knee while your foot was planted in the ground? ill guarantee you your knee wouldnt "hold up" either. dirty hit. cheap shot. by a loser player and franchise

[@jthardworkanddedicated4976]

Wat a wasted season and disappointment.

[@ryanwilliams560]

The eagle won a super bowl with their backup. The Buckeyes won a National championship with the third string qb. The bengals just didn’t have it, the team or the talent. Simple as that. Nothing would have changed. They would have lost by 10 to the Steelers. -Non delusional bengals fan.

[@Sonic8577]

Their qb was no where near as bad as the bengals 2nd string qb, he was one of the worst qb's to every play in the nfl and he started to choke in the second half which is the only reason steelers won, the bengals were winning 17 to nothing coming in the 3rd quarter.

[@Sonic8577]

and they didn't have a very good defense but their offensive made up for it.

[@whitemamba24xe98]

If Palmer hadn’t gotten hurt, they still would have lost to Pittsburgh

[@Lonewolf_665]

Knock it off

[@marcopolo2418]

The Bengals would not have won the Superbowl even if Carson never got injured. They may have beat the Broncos but they would have lost to the Colts/Patriots.

[@williamjones7589]

the colts yes but they were a better team than the Patriots that year. It all depends on if the Colts choke or not. I really think that 05 colts team is the best team Peyton manning ever had.

[@hardydude69]

I don’t care! That was dirty typical thug squealer football on Palmer!

[@JoshuaBatJoshHayes]

The 05 steelers were both great and lucky. 15-1 1 year earlier and 11-2 in 2005 outside of a 3 game skid as the team hit a roadblock when Ben was coming off injury. That's 27-3. They beat the Bengals HANDILY, particularly with scoring the games final 24 points. Palmer never proved in his many tries with Cincy to have the acumen to beat Pittsburgh. Against Indy, Polamalu made an interception up 21-10 late that was overturned incorrectly, and the Colts needed a lucky break, 4th down conversion, and Bettis goal line fumble in the 4th just to have a shot to tie. The Steelers murdered the Broncos. Then, in the Bowl, Ben threw a terrible goal to go interception that kept a game where the Seattle offense was stymied from being 21-3. Yes, there were bad calls, but it was lucky to be close and in the final 5 mins when sea had to come through they threw a terribly careless first down pick then let Bettis run over then. I think your Brown tinted lenses are overlooking a damn solid champ in the Burgh that year.

[@JoshuaBatJoshHayes]

Just saying that minimizing them bc they got breaks and saying the Bengals were better is silly. So what if Carson doesn't get hurt? Heres what: they lose a gut punch wild card game at the very end to Pittsburgh, because winners win and Bengals lose

[@jackcarraway4707]

I'm not so sure if they even win this game because it's not like Pittsburgh was a fluke team; they beat three very good teams in Indy, Denver and Seattle. Indy was the big bad dragon of the AFC to slay and I just don't think Cincy would beat them.

[@Mr.Deleterious]

Dude did that shit on purpose

[@omars__volta]

"bengals were arguibly better than the steelers" LOL. Bengals were the weakest team in those playoffs, even the jaguars would crush them if they faced on the wildcard, Bengals offense was good x but they sucked at defense, Steelers D crushed Peyton Manning offense, Bengals wouldn't stop manning. They even wouldn't beat broncos at mile high, champ baley would shut down 85, keep it real

[@steadydropnem]

Hell na the 05 bengals were on 🔥 they definitely could have beat the Steelers in that wildcard game💯💯 and actually the defense was good that year if I remember correctly they led the league in takeaways that year