Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Humboldt's Bruce Reimers stands next to the Super Bowl XXIII poster in his house earlier this week.

In 1988, Humboldt’s Bruce Reimers was part of an innovative offense that is a part of every NFL franchise’s repertoire 33 years later.

The Cincinnati Bengals pioneered the no-huddle philosophy that baffled defenses all season long. Ultimately, the starting offensive lineman — a 1979 Humboldt graduate — and the Bengals advanced to Super Bowl XXIII.

“Playing in the Super Bowl was one of the greatest experiences in my life,” Reimers said. “It’s like hitting a home run in the World Series or scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. You think about that as you’re growing up.

“I got to live my dream. I thank God for that.”

Sam Wyche, the head coach of the Bengals at the time, was the brain behind the operation that kept defenses on the field while limiting substitutions as the offense hurried to the line of scrimmage to get set play after play.

“We used it every game, just like clockwork,” Reimers said. “We ran it in practice and had different words (as codes). This word goes with this and that. It was kind of like an on-the-field exam.

“That’s the way Sam drew it up. It kept the defense guessing.”

The offense had to make some adjustments, but the Bengals worked until it became second nature — and a nightmare for the opposition.

“It was the way we practiced. We worked on it in 110-degree temps,” Reimers said. “It was something we adapted to. It was our own, unique way.”

The strategy that was implemented following a 4-11 campaign. The hurry-up offense helped lead Cincinnati to home field advantage and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

“It was actually up in the air whether we would be able to use it in the AFC Championship,” Reimers said. “We played Buffalo in the pre- and regular season and before we met for the third time in the AFC Championship game, Marv Levy (Buffalo head coach) petitioned the NFL to not let us use it because he said it was illegal.

“Up until three hours before game game, we didn’t know if we could use it. But the NFL said we’ve been using it all year, so we could do it. It came full circle; the Bills used it after that and make four straight Super Bowls.”

Reimers, who was born in Algona and grew up in Humboldt, was drafted by the Bengals in 1984. The former Iowa State standout played all 16 games in the 1988 Super Bowl season, and helped contribute to the highest-scoring AFC offense that would face a Hall of Fame-loaded San Francisco team for the title.

“Our team was more balanced after we added James Brooks in the offseason from the Chargers and Ickey Woods started running off big runs as a rookie,” Reimers said. “We had Eddie Brown and Chris Collinsworth at wide receiver and Boomer Esiason ran the offense.

“When you add the no-huddle to that offense, people didn’t know how to handle it.”

Reimers was the left guard on a talented offensive line with Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz (inducted in 1998) and Brian Blados, Joe Walter, Bruce Kozerski, Max Montoya, David Douglas and Dave Smith.

“Every year that you play, you never know what the ending is going to look like,” Reimers said. “Early on, I didn’t know if I had a chance to make the team. The first couple of years, I played off and on. In my second year we were around .500. Then we had the strike (in 1987).”

The Super Bowl was played inside Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, and was known for “The Drive” by quarterback Joe Montana to seal the win for the 49ers.

The Bengals led for the majority of the contest, and were up 16-13 with 3:10 left when Montana led the 49ers on a 94-yard possession. A 14-yard touchdown pass from Montana to John Taylor sealed the win.

Reaching the Super Bowl was the ultimate goal and dream come true for the small-town kid and former Humboldt star.

“Our motto was, ‘Finish everything,'” Reimers said.

Now, 33 years removed from the dream season, the Bengals are finally back in the Super Bowl.

“They were very similar to our situation, coming off a sub-par year previously,” Reimers said. “We got it turned around and had an unbelievable start and just kept building momentum (in 1988).

“No one really gave this year’s team a chance. They did the opposite. They knocked off the (favored) Titans and then No. 1 seed Kansas City, going down there and putting together that big rally (from 18 points down).”

After 10 seasons in the NFL — eight with Cincinnati and two with Tampa Bay — Reimers returned home to Humboldt, running his trucking business and serving on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.

Football was hard for Reimers to set aside at first. He helped coach the Humboldt High School offensive and defensive lines after his career in the NFL.

“I was very blessed to have played in the NFL and have a great family,” Reimers said. “I’m pretty busy with trucking and supervisor meetings. Once I get that done, I mostly just sepnd time with family and my grandkids.

“I love being a grandpa.”

Editor’s Note: This is the final segment in a series leading up to this Sunday’s Super Bowl, which will pit Bruce Reimers’ former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, against the Los Angeles Rams.