Tag: Cincinnati Bengals

Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson (14) looks on after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Bengals sign veteran QB Josh Johnson to one-year deal

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Bengals signed quarterback Josh Johnson, a veteran who had two stints with Cincinnati during the 2013 and 2015 seasons, to a one-year deal on Saturday.

Johnson, 39, spent last season with the Washington Commanders, one of an NFL-record 14 teams for which he has suited up since he was a fifth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

He threw for 372 yards and one touchdown on 34-for-54 passing in five games (two starts) last season with Washington, including his first NFL start since 2021 with the Baltimore Ravens. He also rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown last season.

Cincinnati does not have a quarterback outside of star Joe Burrow.

Joe Flacco, who was signed in the wake of Burrow’s injury last season, remains a free agent.

Jake Browning, who was the team’s No. 3 quarterback, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Over 50 career games (10 starts), Johnson is 242-of-412 passing (58.7%) for 2,669 yards, 14 touchdowns and 18 interceptions with 481 rushing yards and two scores.

–Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cincinnati Bengals guard Dalton Risner (66) looks on after the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Bengals G Dalton Risner agrees to 1-year extension

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Cincinnati Bengals announced a one-year extension Monday with guard Dalton Risner for the 2026 season.

Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Shawn O’Dare confirmed to ESPN that the deal is worth up to $5 million.

Risner appeared in 14 games (11 starts) and played 768 offensive snaps in his first season with the Bengals in 2025.

Risner, 30, has played in 101 games (92 starts) with the Denver Broncos (2019-22), Minnesota Vikings (2023-24) and Bengals. The Broncos drafted him in the second round in 2019.

–Field Level Media

Bengals TE Tanner Hudson signs extension for 2026

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The Cincinnati Bengals extended Tanner Hudson’s contract through the 2026 season on Monday.

Hudson, 31, caught 19 passes for 168 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in 15 games (one start) in 2025.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Hudson, who would have become a free agent in March.

Hudson played 148 snaps on offense and 224 on special teams in 2025, his third season with Cincinnati.

He has 92 catches for 873 yards and four scores in 71 career games (three starts) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-20), San Francisco 49ers (2021), New York Giants (2022) and Bengals.

–Field Level Media

Bengals can end on 3-game win streak by beating Browns

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Two AFC North division rivals who clashed in Week 1 will also finish the season together Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals host the Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals escaped with a narrow 17-16 win in Cleveland in the opener when Browns rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point and a 36-yard field goal. Cleveland started current Cincinnati backup Joe Flacco in that game.

The Bengals (6-10) aim to close out the regular season with their first three-game winning streak of the season after blowout wins over Miami and Arizona in the past two weeks.

The 45-21 victory in Week 16 at Miami followed by a 37-14 romp in Week 17 against Arizona at home marked the first time the Bengals won back-to-back games by a margin of 20 or more points since Weeks 6-7 in 2021.

Cincinnati’s offense has exploded in the last two weeks, earning season highs in first downs (29) and net yards (429) against Arizona. On defense, the Bengals tallied four sacks and held the Cardinals to 42 yards rushing.

Still, it has been a massively disappointing season for head coach Zac Taylor and the Bengals, who lost Joe Burrow for nine games to a turf toe injury in a Week 2 win.

“We have to finish this off the right way,” Taylor said. “All we can control right now is what we’ve got in front of us. There’s one game left. We’ve got to go finish this thing the right way like these guys have been doing for us. It’s important to play well in front of our home fans and finish this out the right way.”

The Browns (4-12) enter after their most emotional win of the season, a 13-6 defeat of rival Pittsburgh last Sunday in their home finale in Cleveland.

The biggest storyline for the Browns heading into the season finale continues to be star defensive edge Myles Garrett and his pursuit of the NFL single-season sack record. Entering with 22 on the season, Garrett needs just one to pass the 22.5 sacks of Michael Strahan in 2001 and T.J. Watt in 2021.

Garrett said after Sunday’s win that Pittsburgh did everything it could to keep him from setting the new mark held by one of their own stars, even to the detriment of winning the game.

Garrett has traditionally had big games against Burrow and the Bengals, including two sacks on Sept. 7. Garrett’s 15 sacks in 13 games against Cincinnati are the most in his career against any opponent.

Shedeur Sanders improved to 2-4 as Cleveland’s starting quarterback, completing 17 of 23 passes for 186 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions against the Steelers. In seven total games played, Sanders has thrown seven touchdowns but has been intercepted 10 times.

“Just staying consistent, taking what they give me,” Sanders said. “Whenever we get off rhythm, get back on rhythm, get back on track. And I think that’s the next part of my game I’m trying to evolve, is whenever either we’re stagnant or some adversity comes, being able to get back on track.”

Sanders said he is blocking out all the noise regarding his future in Cleveland as the starting quarterback for the franchise going forward.

“I can’t think about what other people’s opinion or what they view me as,” Sanders added. “I know the teams that we go against, I know they definitely respect me in a passing game, for sure, but I can’t be accountable for somebody else’s decisions.”

–Field Level Media

Bengals QB Joe Burrow to play in season finale vs. Browns

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Joe Burrow is in the game plan for the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns, head coach Zac Taylor said Monday.

The Bengals are not planning to rest or preserve Burrow, the oft-injured starting quarterback who played in his seventh game of the season in Week 17 and improved to 5-2 as a starter in 2025.

One of those five wins for Burrow this season was a 17-16 victory at Cleveland. Burrow was sacked three times and had 113 passing yards with one touchdown.

Since returning from a toe injury that knocked Burrow out of the game Week 2 and required surgery, his production has been on the upswing.

Burrow was 24 of 31 for 305 passing yards with two touchdowns in a 37-14 win over the Cardinals in Week 17, following up his four-TD day at Miami on Dec. 21.

“He’s got a ton of confidence, he’s playing with great rhythm, extending plays, hitting big plays down the field,” Taylor said. “He did a great job with the protection checks (Sunday), because that can be really difficult and stressful against these guys. They do a good job of attacking your protections, so Joe was on it. Again, just playing like I know Joe to play, and it’s fun to watch.”

Taylor said Monday the Bengals need “all hands on deck” to compete with Browns star Myles Garrett. The defensive end has 22 sacks, on the doorstep of the single-season record of 22.5 held by Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt and former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.

Garrett sacked Burrow twice in the first meeting this season.

“He’s the best defensive player on Planet Earth,” Taylor said. “You can’t put it into words. It’s all hands on deck. He’s an absolute nightmare.”

–Field Level Media

Ravens freeze out Bengals for first shutout since 2018

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Lamar Jackson tossed two touchdown passes as the Baltimore Ravens earned a 24-0 victory over the host Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon to claim their first shutout in seven seasons.

On an 11-degree Ohio day, Jackson completed 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards with touchdown passes to Rasheen Ali and Zay Flowers as the Ravens (7-7) split their season series with the Bengals (4-10).

The Ravens moved within a half-game of the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, who host the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

Derrick Henry rushed for 100 yards on 11 carries. Flowers had three receptions for 68 yards during the coldest game in the Ravens’ history.

The shutout was Baltimore’s first since blanking the Tennessee Titans 21-0 on Oct. 14, 2018 – and the Ravens earned it as the Bengals held possession for 39:19.

Joe Burrow was 25 of 39 for 225 yards and two interceptions for the Bengals, who lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 2-5 at home. Ja’Marr Chase had 10 receptions for 132 yards.

After a scoreless first quarter, Baltimore forced the game’s first turnover. Marlon Humphrey’s second interception of the year came on a fluttering pass that tipped off Chase’s hands and he returned it 21 yards.

Baltimore’s third drive was initially its best, but the promising series ended after 25 yards when Jackson’s pass was dropped by Flowers and grabbed by Jordan Battle for the safety’s fourth pick.

Jackson’s 32-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins led to the quarterback’s 30-yard pass to Ali for the running back’s first NFL touchdown with 4:35 left in the first half.

The five-play, 79-yard scoring drive led to another brisk touchdown drive to end the half. Jackson capped a five-play, 80-yard sprint when he found Flowers in stride with 23 seconds left for a 28-yard strike and a 14-0 halftime cushion.

Following a third-quarter turnover on downs by the home squad, the Ravens’ Tyler Loop booted a 27-yard field goal at 9:05 for a three-score advantage.

The Bengals got as close as the Baltimore 2-yard line in the fourth quarter. But on third-and-goal from the 7, Kyle Van Noy intercepted Burrow and returned it for 11 yards before handing it to Alohi Gilman to take it the final 84 yards for the game’s last score with 7:38 remaining.

–Field Level Media

Bengals melt down in snow as Bills rally for 39-34 win

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Christian Benford returned a fourth-quarter interception for a touchdown as the Buffalo Bills kept pace in the playoff chase by rallying from a late 10-point deficit in the snow for a 39-34 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Orchard Park, N.Y.

Down 28-25 with under six minutes remaining, Benford scored when he blitzed off the edge, made a leaping pick of Joe Burrow’s lob and dashed 63 yards for Buffalo’s first lead at 32-28.

AJ Epenesa picked off Burrow’s next throw, and Josh Allen hit Jackson Dawes on fourth down for a 3-yard score to lift Buffalo (9-4) to its fifth win in the past seven games.

Allen completed 22 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed nine times for 78 yards, including a 40-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Burrow completed 25 of 36 passes for 284 yards with four scores and two interceptions for Cincinnati (4-9), who lost ground in their AFC North playoff push. Chase Brown scored a pair of TDs, and Tee Higgins had six catches for 92 yards and two TDs.

The Bengals had a hot start as a snow flurry started. They converted four third downs and cashed in when Brown finished with a 5-yard rumble.

Buffalo answered with Matt Prater’s 26-yard field goal, but the Bengals kept up their march as Burrow tossed a 21-yard score to Higgins, who toe-tapped into the end zone’s side for a 14-3 lead with 13:33 remaining in the first half.

Allen tossed an 11-yard TD pass to Khalil Shakir then had a two-point conversion to Dawson Knox (six catches, 93 yards) to trim the deficit to 14-11.

Cincinnati had the half’s final response when Burrow found Brown, who hauled in a diving 10-yarder that was originally ruled short of the goal line but was overturned for a 21-11 advantage.

In the third quarter, the Bills struck first with 9:20 remaining when Allen fired a 5-yard scoring strike to Dalton Kincaid to pull within 21-18. They appeared to be headed for a first lead late in the quarter but Cook fumbled into the end zone and Oren Burks recovered.

Burrow connected on a 12-yard TD pass to Mike Gesicki, making it 28-18 with 8:44 remaining in the game, but Allen answered with a career-long 40-yard TD run just over a minute later.

Trailing 39-28, Cincinnati saw Burrow find Higgins from 25 yards for his second TD, but Allen was able to run out the clock after a 17-yard run on third down.

–Field Level Media

Ravens out to extend surge as Bengals welcome back Joe Burrow

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Joe Burrow is coming back from a toe injury, and people are questioning that decision, even though there are six games remaining in the regular season.

His Bengals are five games below .500 and have lost eight of their past nine games but Burrow doesn’t want to simply hang out on the sideline when Cincinnati visits the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.

“I’m a football player,” Burrow said Tuesday. “I’m not gonna ever go to somebody and say, ‘I’m healthy, but I don’t think I should go out there and play.’ That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

The Bengals (3-8) have very slim odds of reaching the playoffs and struggled with Jake Browning and Joe Flacco as starting quarterbacks after Burrow was injured in a Week 2 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Burrow had toe surgery, and there was concern he might miss the rest of the season.

But rehab efforts went smoothly and Burrow is ready to play in late November. As he prepares for the contest against Baltimore, there is a heavy chorus of comments suggesting he sit out the rest of the season to ensure he’s healthy for the 2026 campaign.

“I’m not going to live my life and play this game scared of something happening,” Burrow said. “Like, yeah, something is going to happen, it’s football. Guys are going to get hurt, guys are going to get concussions, you’re going to break bones, tear ligaments. It’s a physical, intense game. That’s part of this. Yeah, I’ve had injuries, there’s not a lot I can do about that.”

The two-time Pro Bowler isn’t the lone signal caller in this matchup who has had injury problems this season.

Baltimore (6-5) has been unable to keep Lamar Jackson in top health. After dealing with knee and ankle injuries, the two-time NFL MVP injured a toe in Sunday’s 23-10 victory over the New York Jets.

“I just got fell on, but I’m good though,” Jackson said Tuesday. “The toe’s good.”

Jackson has been hearing chatter about his drop in production.

Jackson has thrown more interceptions (two) than touchdowns (one) over the past three games, failing to reach 200 passing yards in each contest.

But Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Jackson is doing the job just fine.

“He’s been doing things you take for granted; you protect the football, or you operate the right way, or you get us down the field,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve had some key drives at the end of the game in the second half and in the fourth quarter that have been game winners for us and the offense. So, you may be referring to quote-unquote gaudy stats and things like that, but how about the fourth-quarter stats>”

Jackson could get going Thursday as the Bengals rank last in the NFL in scoring defense (32.7 points per game) and total defense (415.8 yards per game).

Last season, the teams engaged in two shootouts as the Ravens beat host Cincinnati 41-38 in overtime and won 35-34 in Baltimore.

“It’s crazy, we’d be scoring so fast,” Ravens wideout Zay Flowers recalled. “You’d be like, ‘(Dang), we just got off the field,’ then we’d be back on, then they’re on. You’re always warm, you’re always ready to go.”

Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase caught 21 passes for 457 yards and five touchdowns in the two games. He had 264 yards — two shy of his career high — in the one-point loss.

Chase was suspended for Sunday’s 26-20 loss to the New England Patriots for spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey one week earlier. Chase apologized for his actions on Monday.

“At the end of the day, I don’t really have nothing to prove about who I am,” Chase said Tuesday.

The Bengals will be without receiver Tee Higgins (concussion), who was injured against the Patriots, along with defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip/pelvis) and running back Tahj Brooks (concussion).

Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle) was injured Sunday but returned to practice Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Drake Maye, Patriots hold Bengals at bay for 9th straight win

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Drake Maye completed 22 of 35 passes for 294 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and the New England Patriots held on for a 26-20 win over the host Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon.

Hunter Henry caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown for New England (10-2), which won its ninth game in a row. Andy Borregales made four field goals.

Joe Flacco completed 19 of 37 passes for 183 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Cincinnati (3-9). Chase Brown had 19 carries for 107 yards.

The Bengals pulled within 23-20 with 4:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. Flacco found Mitchell Tinsley for a 17-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game.

The Patriots increased their lead to 26-20 with 1:51 remaining as Borregales made a 52-yard kick.

Flacco tried to lead the Bengals to a late comeback, but the Bengals’ drive ended at the Patriots 26-yard line as his fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

Neither team scored a touchdown in the first quarter. The only scoring belonged to Cincinnati, which took a 3-0 lead on a 54-yard field goal by Evan McPherson.

The Bengals relied on a defensive touchdown to increase their lead to 10-0 in the first minute of the second quarter. Safety Geno Stone intercepted a pass from Maye and returned it 32 yards to the end zone.

The Patriots scored on their next possession to pull within 10-7. Maye found Henry wide open down the left sideline for a 28-yard touchdown.

New England’s defense scored a touchdown less than two minutes later. Cornerback Marcus Jones jumped in front of Flacco’s pass and returned the interception 33 yards for the go-ahead score that put the Patriots on top 14-10.

Borregales added a 41-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 17-10 lead late in the half.

McPherson answered with a 63-yard field goal as time expired in the half to make it 17-13. The kick set a Bengals franchise record and marked a career long for McPherson.

The kicking trend continued in the third quarter, as Borregales drilled a 45-yarder to increase New England’s lead to 20-13.

Borregales chipped in a 19-yard kick to put the Patriots on top 23-13 with 5:55 left.

The Patriots lost a key starter on their offensive line due to injury. Left tackle Will Campbell sustained a leg injury and needed to be carted off the field late in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Steelers pound Bengals despite losing Aaron Rodgers to injury

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Kyle Dugger returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown and Mason Rudolph relieved the injured Aaron Rodgers as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the visiting Cincinnati Bengals 34-12 on Sunday.

The Steelers scored a pair of defensive touchdowns, sealing the game on James Pierre’s 34-yard fumble return with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter, to avenge their 33-31 loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 16.

Rudolph completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown for the Steelers (6-4). Joe Flacco finished 23-of-40 for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Bengals (3-7), who lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Rodgers completed 9 of 15 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown before his left hand was injured late in the first half.

After Rodgers’ exit, Rudolph converted third downs of 11 and 17 yards to set up Chris Boswell’s second field goal and give Pittsburgh a 13-9 lead.

Feeling pressure in the pocket, Flacco threw a pass over the middle for Tee Higgins that Dugger intercepted and returned for a long touchdown to extend the lead to 20-9.

The game featured two confrontations between Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey and Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, including one early in the fourth quarter.

With the Bengals forced to take a timeout and appearing to be in disarray on fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 44, Ramsey grabbed Chase by the facemask and threw a punch, resulting in Ramsey being ejected. The two players remained on the field before Ramsey had to be escorted off.

The Steelers opened the game with an eight-play, 78-yard drive that was capped by an uncontested screen pass from Rodgers to running back Kenneth Gainwell in the left flat for an 11-yard touchdown. Pittsburgh’s other feature back, Jaylen Warren, ripped off a 35-yard run to the Cincinnati 12.

The Bengals answered with a 71-yard drive in nine plays. Flacco found Higgins for a 28-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline, giving Higgins a TD in four straight games and six in his last six games.

–Field Level Media