Jose Trevino just gave Bengals fans a reason to love the Reds again

The Cincinnati Bengals may have found their Ruler of the Jungle for this year's home opener at Paycor Stadium. Cincinnati Reds catcher Jose Trevino brought the two fanbases together on Monday with a Bengals-inspired helmet.

Trevino was hanging the signs for starting pitcher Nick Martinez on Monday night against the St. Louis Cardinals, and Reds fans couldn't help but notice something different about his gear. The Reds social media team provided the perfect photo midway through the game, and it was clear that Trevino's helmet had the signature Bengals stripes — in red and white, of course — along the top.

Perhaps this was an homage to the Bengals' recent draft, which most experts and pundits viewed favorably. The Bengals took Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart with the 17th pick in the NFL Draft, and then added some linebacker depth, a couple of offensive linemen, and running back Tahj Brooks out of Texas Tech.

Jose Trevino just gave Bengals fans a reason to love the Reds again

Most sports fans in the Queen City find themselves gravitating toward both Cincinnati-based franchises. Though the Reds have been in existence for over 150 years, fans in southwest Ohio also love their Bengals.

The Reds, however, haven't been in the spotlight near as much as the Bengals in recent years. Quarterback Joe Burrow has helped turn Cincinnati into a perennial playoff contender and led the team to the Super Bowl a few years back. The Bengals also just made some major investments several weeks ago after agreeing to contract extensions with wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase.

But perhaps Trevino's olive branch to Who Dey Nation will get some Bengals fans out to the ballpark this summer. Though the Reds' win-loss record has been unimpressive the past several seasons and their playoff success nonexistent, the talent of Elly De La Cruz and Co. has the Cincinnati faithful believing they can make a run this October. The Reds' front office added future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona for good measure, and Cincinnati is currently one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball.

It'll be curious to see if Trevino is donning the striped helmet for the entire homestand, or if it was a one-off gesture. Could fellow backstops Austin Wynns and Tyler Stephenson follow suit? It'll be something to watch as the 2025 season unfolds. With football season several months away, perhaps it's time for Bengals fans to get out to Great American Ball Park and support the ole Redlegs.

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