Although the Cincinnati Bengals came up short against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2019 NFL season opener, the performance of wide receiver John Ross gives them good reason to be optimistic.

Following a rough start to his career, Ross finally enjoyed a breakout game versus Seattle. He credits the coaching staff for instilling him with newfound confidence, via the team's official website:

“Without a doubt. I think that’s what a lot of players lack sometimes. Like me, I can honestly say now I lost confidence in myself the last two years. Now I come in with a different mentality, and now I’ve got to go out there and continue to believe in myself.”

Ross' comments are telling of just how difficult the transition to the NFL can be. Fortunately, he appears to be well on his way to finding his footing at the next level.

The Bengals made quite the investment when they selected Ross with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. While there had been high hopes for the 40-yard dash champ early on, it was quickly replaced with plenty of doubt after he struggled mightily through the first two seasons of his career. During that span, he only registered 21 receptions and 210 yards.

Despite his struggles, Ross was able to emerge as a lethal option in the red zone after hauling in seven touchdowns during the 2018 campaign. Regardless, he was able to show a much more complete repertoire against the Seahawks, and it resulted in seven catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

With wide receiver A.J. Green still recovering from injury, the Bengals will continue to rely heavily on Ross in the passing game.