11-Year-Old Amsterdam Fan Receives Ball from Tee Higgins in Madrid

Jackson Pohl stood in the stands at Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver jogged toward his section with a game football. The 11-year-old from Amsterdam had never seen an NFL game before, but he had been following the team since watching Joe Burrow play in the 2022 Super Bowl.

The Bengals defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 in that match. Pohl and his family traveled from the Netherlands for the game, marking his first experience with the Cincinnati fan base. He described the atmosphere as overwhelming, noting that he jumped up and down to get high fives from strangers around him.

Pohl recalled the exact sequence of events that led to the gift. He watched Burrow drop back and throw the pass. Higgins caught the ball and stood still for a moment before moving toward the fans. The player cut left and handed the football directly to Pohl.

Originally from Los Angeles, Pohl moved to Amsterdam about a year ago. He became a devoted supporter of the Bengals after seeing Burrow’s performance in the Super Bowl. He said he wanted to be like Burrow, a sentiment that drove his decision to travel across the ocean for the game.

Over the weekend, Pohl and his family attended various fan meetups in Cincinnati. Living in Europe, he had not seen such a large gathering of supporters before. He expressed gratitude to his parents for buying the tickets and to Higgins for the football.

Pohl sent a message to Higgins, stating that he was happy for the player’s performance. He noted that Higgins is on his fantasy football team and urged him to keep playing well to win a championship ring. The visit was a highlight for Pohl, who now owns a piece of the game that started his fandom.

The Bengals are now back in Cincinnati following their win. For Pohl, the trip combined the thrill of international travel with the surprise of receiving a memento from his favorite player.