Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle intercepted a pass that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson intended for tight end Kylen Granson and ran 14 yards for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL preseason game on Thursday night.

“It was a good feeling,” Battle said. “I haven’t had a pick-six in a while.”

Before Thursday night, Battle had most recently returned an interception for a touchdown in Alabama’s 41-24 victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 4, 2021, when he picked off Stetson Bennett and ran 42 yards to the end zone with 11:59 to play.

“You get a PBU, it’s like, ‘Uh, good. Next play,’” Battle said in the locker room after the Bengals’ 27-14 loss to the Colts. “You get a tackle, it’s like, ‘Uh, good. Next play.’ You get a touchdown, it’s like, ‘Ohh, we know that guy.’ And it’s kind of fun when you get in the end zone and celebrate with your teammates and have everybody come around and get together and watch you celebrate and celebrate together.”

Battle joined the Bengals in the third round of last year’s NFL Draft. He worked as a backup for Nick Scott and Dax Hill through the first 10 games of his NFL career.

In a 34-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 16, Battle took over for Scott at strong safety and played a career-high 57 defensive snaps. He led the Cincinnati defense with 11 tackles and made a tackle on special teams, too.

That was more than twice as many defensive snaps than Battle had played in any previous game, and the rookie started the remaining seven games of the season, playing at least 81 percent of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps in each.

Battle received recognition as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team for the 2023 season.

But in 2024, Battle is back on the second unit. During the offseason, the Bengals brought in veteran safeties Vonn Bell and Geno Stone in free agency.

“Just be me,” Battle said about his attitude toward the change in status from the end of 2023 season to the beginning of the 2024 campaign. “Be the hard-working guy I’ve always been. Be the guy who always asks for help when I need it. Be the guy who can help other guys if they need it. And like I said, just keep my head down, keep working, keep trending upwards and not let anything get me down.

“I feel like that’s been one thing for me my whole life: I can say I love competition. From going to the No. 1 high school in the nation, St. Thomas (Aquinas), from going to the No. 1 college, Alabama, and then coming to a top-five NFL team and being able to compete. I feel like I’ve been ready for competition. I’ve embraced it, and throughout my career, it’s been something that I love.”

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said the Bengals want Battle to “continue to play physical. He’s an intelligent guy, so continue to play with that intelligence, and again I think he’s steadily gotten better as well.”

Cincinnati starts its regular-season schedule on Sept. 8 with a home game against the New England Patriots.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.