35

Joe had to grin as Elle jumped off the golf cart that Zac was driving. She had her hair braided in two boxer braids. Her shoulders looked extremely muscular because of the shoulder pads she wore over a tight black sports shirt. It made her head look cutely small. Tucked under her arm was the orange typical Bengal helmet.

As she walked toward him, Joe noticed the two black stripes she had on her cheeks and immediately he found Football Elle extremely attractive. She looked extremely good in the uniform as she stopped in front of him, put down her helmet and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I've been informed that you have my jersey" she smirked at him as Joe pulled the orange top from behind his back and ceremoniously handed it to her. Elle accepted it gratefully and unfolded it.

"You're serious?" she asked with a laugh when she spotted the big 9 and Joe's last name on the tshirt. "You gave me your jersey?" Joe just shrugged with a grin. "The players shouldn't be confused if there's a different name on there."

Elle laughed. "Sure, that's why" she winked at him. Joe had to grin. Of course that wasn't the reason, he just really wanted to see her wearing his jersey and this had just been the perfect situation.

"where are our players anyway? I thought Zac was going to organize teams for us" Joe looked around, because except for Zac, a couple of other coaches who would help out as referees, and them, no one was on the practice field yet.

"From what I hear, they all won't be here for another five minutes. We're going to get a detailed rules briefing first, and then we're going to take some pictures" Elle shrugged.

She was right. Zac, who was functioning as the head referee, called them over shortly after and once again explained exactly how everything would go. "Also, you'll have an audience crowd. You can't imagine how many players had volunteered to play on the teams. I promised all those who couldn't make it that they would be allowed to watch" he added.

Afterwards, the photographer who usually took the pictures of the training really did come and had Elle pose alone first, then her together with Joe. No sooner had they finished than the players came out onto the lawn, divided into black and white jerseys, and were immediately joined as well.

After the whole photo shoot was over and they had clarified with the photographer that the pictures should not be published but only sent to the people involved, the two teams as well as Joe and Elle gathered around the whole coaches aka referees dressed in uniform black polo shirts and Bengals caps.

Zac stood in the middle and blew his whistle, noticeably having a little too much fun with the whole thing. "Welcome to what may not be the first unofficial game between the staff and the Cincinnati Bengals players. Today's opponents are quarterback Joe Burrow and athletic trainer Elle Simmons"

Again he explained the rules he had earlier told Elle and Joe before Elle got the floor. "I'm glad you've agreed to play for us today as a defense and offense team, and even though in theory this is just being done for fun and as a practice game for you, Joe and I are asking you to give it your all. We need a winner here today and don't any of you play biased for Joe because he's your quarterback or friend or for me because I'm a woman. We want a fair game and anyone who disregards that I will personally cut them from the squad at the next roster cut."

Shocked, the players looked at Zac. "Can she do that?" T.B asked. Zac shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but do you want to risk it?" everyone shook their heads.

"Then give 100% for both of them and you don't have to worry about it" Zac grinned at his players before admonishing them again not to go in too hard after all, they were still teammates and no one should necessarily get hurt.

As the players, who like Elle and Joe had warmed up in advance, lined up the two of them went to the center for the coin toss to determine who would have to start. Zac meanwhile welcomed the crowd, which consisted of players, coaches and other staff.

Nick, unfortunately, would not be there as he had a couple of appointments with players. Unlike Elle, he as well as Roberto and Dan had the late shift today and had to work in the afternoon now instead of this morning like she did.

When Zac was done with his greeting, he turned to the two and dug a coin out of his pocket. "Alright Elle, you're sort of a guest as an employee, so you get to pick whether you take heads or tails" Zac looked at Elle expectantly.

"I'll take heads" Elle determined. "Ok Joe, that means you have tails" Joe nodded and grinned at Elle as Zac tossed the coin in the air. Tensely all three watched as it landed on the ground.

"Heads! Elle won and gets to decide if she defends first or attacks!" Zac shouted so the audience could hear it too. "I want to defend first" Elle declared and Zac nodded. "Here's to a good game" he shook hands with both and left.

Joe and Elle grinned at each other before Elle held out her hand. "Here's to a good game" she winked at him. "Good luck" Joe shook her hand.

Elle laughed out loud. "I don't need luck. I'll kick your ass, Burrow" she grinned mischievously before grabbing her helmet and putting it back under her arm.

Joe looked after her with a grin as she turned and clapped her hands. "Defense, you're with me first. We'll meet at the twenty yard for a tactics briefing" she called out to the team, who immediately started moving.

"Ok, I have no idea about your plays..." Elle looked at the players as they put their heads together. "...Which one of you is linebacker?" Logan raised his hand. "All right. You call the plays" she determined.

Logan moved a little more to the middle. "ok guys, you know those are our teammates over there. We know how they play. They know how we play. So we use Elle as our secret weapon" he turned to Elle. "I think the first thing you should do is play cornerback, do you think you can do that?" Elle nodded.

The game was going well. Joe's first drive was ended by Elle and the defense by successfully blocking all four downs after Joe got to the 20 yard line, which also had to do with the fact that Elle didn't leave Ja'Marr's side as cornerback and therefore Ja'Marr had no chance to catch the throws.

The second and third drive, however, Joe scored both times, once they had gotten to the 10 yard line and Joe Mixon fought his way through the defense line for a touchdown, the second time Eli Apple had not been able to stop T.B after a throw by Joe from the 30 yard, which brought in the second touchdown.

Joe's last drive was on the line and he had already got back to the 32 yard with the offense. The first two downs were blocked by the defense and Joe was forced to throw the ball out of bounds or even lost a few yards when Joe Mixon couldn't get through the defensive line.

"Time out" Logan suddenly called, showing the sign with his hands that the game should be stopped. Confused, Elle jogged to him as he gestured for all the players to gather around him.

"Ok, guys...and Elle, we have a chance to end the first half if we stop the next two plays, understand?" Everyone nodded. "That's why we're making a change in tactics. It's a bit risky, but no one will expect it, that's why we're going to pull it off" tensely everyone looked at Logan.

"Elle, you're going to come next to me as a linebacker. Defense line, I want you to block everything so Elle can get through the middle. We're going to try not to let Joe play. If he gives the ball to Joe Mixon, I want you guys to stop him, okay? We'll change Germaine and get Chido in so Ja'Marr is covered. We're not going to let anything happen. You guys got that?" everyone nodded.

"Alright, defense on three" Elle extended her hand to the middle. "1,2,3..." "Defense" everyone shouted before going back to their positions and Germaine ran off the field.

Fortunately, since the defense needed one more player later than they did now, since Joe wouldn't be playing with them, they had the option of being stocked for each position. There was also a back-up for all positions in case someone got hurt.

Logan nodded to Elle as she looked at him from the side. Elle hadn't quite understood why he had switched her now, but she trusted him. He seemed to know what he was doing and, after all, he had experience.

She heard Joe call out and immediately the play started. Looking ahead, she saw a gap that the defensive line as well as Logan had opened for her.

She took a breath and sprinted, but no sooner had she arrived at the line of scrimmage than she was suddenly blocked.

Of course, she had no chance against the huge body pressing against her and could only see Joe throwing the ball in a brief moment of free view.

That was it, she thought to herself. He would surely find Ja'Marr and he would make the 1st down. So it would go on. But suddenly she was let go and saw Joe slapping his thigh in annoyance.

Ja'Marr had not been able to catch the ball and it went out of bounds. They still had a chance to finish Joe's last drive!

What do you think will happen? Who will win?

WHO-DEY🧡