Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning had all the motivation he needed to fuel himself against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. He waited for the opportunity to get back at the Vikings for a long time, and when he finally got the chance, he took full advantage of it to let his former team know that he was the one who got away (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).

“It was definitely a little extra,” Browning said. “I remember getting cut there last time and just being told, ‘We might have a spot for you on the practice squad but go back to the hotel and wait.’ So I sat in the hotel for a couple hours not knowing if I had a job or not, and just got a call from my agent. They didn’t tell me. I had been there for two years. I’ve been cut my fair share of times and that was probably the shittiest one. There was a little bit more this week.”

With Joe Burrow done for the season, the Bengals turned to Browning, who has done nothing but impress under center for Cincinnati, which is surprisingly still in the thick of playoff contention with an 8-6 record — good for the No. 6 seed in the AFC if the playoffs started right after their win over the Vikings.

Against the Vikings, Browning went 29/42 for 324 passing yards and two touchdowns with an interception to lead the Bengals to a 27-24 win in overtime.

Up ahead for Browning and the Bengals is a rematch against the Steelers in Week 16 on the road.