CINCINNATI, Ohio (WCMH) — Veterans are few and far between on the Bengals’ defense. The most veteran player in terms of games played is safety and former Buckeye Vonn Bell who’s only been in the NFL six years.

And yet Cincinnati’s defense, consisting of six starters signed in free agency during the offseason, is one week away from playing in Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams, which can be seen on NBC4.

Buckeye fans might remember Bell for helping Ohio State win the 2014 National Championship during his sophomore year in which he racked up 91 tackles and a team-high six interceptions (tied for 13th-most all-time in a single season).

“Going to Ohio State, I always just wanted to be different,” Bell said. “I knew we had the right recruiting class. Looking back, I just meshed [there]. It felt like home to me.”

Bell said he had a similar feeling about the Bengals’ roster and culture when he left New Orleans and signed as an unrestricted free agent in 2020 despite Cincinnati coming off a 2-14 season the year before.

“That was the biggest thing was just looking at the lineup, knowing what kind of guys, what kind of locker room we could become and build and keep on adding pieces to the defense,” Bell said.

One piece that was already in place was Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III.

“I told Jessie [Bates III] when I first got here . . . that I always admired his game from afar,” Bell said. “I didn’t know him personally. I told him that we always use to study him [in New Orleans], so I just knew that we would be a great tandem.”

He was right. Bates and Bell have helped the Bengals’ defense tremendously during this playoff run, which includes a staggering nine turnovers forced in three games.

The biggest turnover is almost always the last one, which came in overtime of the AFC Championship. on 3rd and 10 at the Chiefs’ 25-yard line, Patrick Mahomes was looking for the speedy Tyreek Hill who was racing 30 yards down the left side. Bates saw the play unfold and made a bee line from midfield toward Hill and just as the ball arrived, Bates stuck his left hand in between Hill’s hands and popped the ball loose, which fell into the arms of Vonn Bell.

“It was just a phenomenal play by Jessie for sure and I was just there running to the ball and it fell in my lap, so all the football gods looked down, I’ve been living right,” Bell said with a laugh. “That play was meant to be.”

His interception was among a string of game-changing plays made by former Buckeyes. With five seconds left until halftime and KC at the Bengals’ five-yard line, Mahomes threw an out rout to Hill who was tackled by cornerback Eli Apple just short of the end zone as the clock expired to keep the game 21-10.

“Getting back with Eli that’s my guy for sure. He’s a brother. It’s going to be a long, long life bond relationship there,” Bell said. “When you have a bond with somebody it can never leave, so when you’re playing with that person you already know how they’re thinking so you’re going to be two steps ahead.”

Another monumental play came from former Buckeye defensive end Sam Hubbard when the Chiefs faced 3rd and goal on the nine-yard line with 39 seconds left in the game. Hubbard dropped back as a quarterback spy, but after five seconds of Mahomes buying time, Hubbard came charging at him and forced a strip sack that forced Kansas City to kick a field goal to send the game to overtime.