Reggie Kelly Resigns

**gametime** · Mar 6, 07, 10:18 PM

Tight end Reggie Kelly said a late-afternoon phone call from quarterback Carson Palmer convinced him to take less money to stay with the Bengals.

Kelly said he would be staying in Cincinnati for three more years and that he left "a lot of money on the table" in Atlanta, Arizona and Oakland to remain a Bengal.

"That will be seven years with my hall-of-fame quarterback," Kelly told The Enquirer this evening.

Kelly and Palmer's locker-room cubicles are side by side. Palmer has called Kelly the best teammate he has ever had in football. Less than an hour after the Bengals lost in overtime to the Steelers on Dec. 31 to end the season, Palmer lobbied in his post-game news conference for the team to re-sign Kelly and third-down back Kenny Watson. Watson signed a three-year deal Friday night to return to the Bengals. They are the team's only two free-agent signings since free agency started Friday.

"To be honest, the deciding factor was our quarterback," Kelly said. "He gave me a call and told me how much he wanted me to come back."

**HammerTime** · Mar 6, 07, 10:41 PM

Good news!!! Carson showing some leadship it looks like.

**nkysportslegend** · Mar 6, 07, 11:15 PM

Just saw it on tv as I was reading this thread, glad to have him sign.

**dolamite** · Mar 7, 07, 12:25 AM

Good news for the Bengals. Palmer is one of the few QB's that actually spread the ball around, and Kelly gives him a terrific fourth target. Smart moves from both sides of the fence.

**NEERFAN** · Mar 7, 07, 01:31 AM

Very valuable piece the OL as a TE, glad to see some loyalty from a player when money seems to be endless.

**ColonelCrazy** · Mar 7, 07, 08:15 AM

Well that means we're assured a few extra holding penalties this year.

In all seriousness, it's good to see Palmer stepping up and the players responding. Let's hope that it can carry over to the more talented players, ala CJ, Chris Henry and hopefully a few guys on the D. That'd be greaaat.