Alright, let’s talk about them Bengals tight ends, you know, the fellas who catch the ball and sometimes block like a brick wall. I don’t know all them fancy stats, but I’ve watched them Bengals play since, well, since forever. So, I reckon I can tell ya a thing or two.
Bengals Tight Ends: A Look Back
Now, the Bengals, they started way back in 1968. That was a big year, they say. Football and all that. But I ain’t gonna bore ya with history lessons. We’re here to talk tight ends!
Over the years, there’s been a whole bunch of ’em. Some good, some not so good. Some you remember, some you just plain forget. You know, like that fella, Rodney Holman. He was somethin’ else! Played for the Bengals a long, long time, from ’82 to ’92, I think it was. Eleven years! That’s a lot of football, y’all. They even sent him to the Pro Bowl three times in a row, ’88, ’89, and ’90. Musta been pretty darn good, I tell ya.
But before him, and after him, there were others. Lots of ’em. I remember some names… you know, the ones that stuck in my head. But I can’t always remember all the years and the numbers and all that jazz. It’s too much for this old brain.
- The Early Days: Back in the early days, I reckon things were different. Football was tougher, maybe. I don’t know. But them tight ends, they were probably runnin’ more and catchin’ less, if you know what I mean. Blocking was a big deal. Still is, I guess, but now they throw the ball all over the place.
- The Passing Game Era: Then things changed. Started throwin’ the ball more. Tight ends, they had to be quick, catch the ball good, and still block them big ol’ fellas on the other side. That’s a tough job, I tell ya.
- Recent Years: And now, well, it’s all about speed and fancy routes, it seems. These young fellas are like gazelles, runnin’ all over the field. But they still gotta be tough, gotta catch that ball when it matters.
Now, if you want all the names and the numbers, you gotta go look it up somewhere else. There’s this thing called the internet, my grandkids are always fiddlin’ with it. They say it has everything. Bengals records, player stats, all that stuff. You can probably find a whole list of every tight end who ever played for the Bengals. They even have somethin’ called “historical starting lineups.” Sounds fancy, don’t it? Tells you who played every position, every year. I reckon you could spend all day lookin’ at that stuff.
They got “top 12 leaders” too. That probably means the best players at each position, I guess. And “league ranks,” whatever that means. It’s all too much for me, I tell ya. I just like watchin’ the games.
But I do remember some of them tight ends. Good hands, some of ’em. Could catch anything you threw at ’em. Others were tough as nails, blockin’ like their lives depended on it. And some, well, some just weren’t that good. But that’s football, ain’t it?
And that fella Joe Burrow, the quarterback, he likes throwin’ to the tight ends, I’ve noticed. He’s got a good arm, that one. And he needs fellas who can catch the ball. So, the tight end position is still important, even in this newfangled football they play now.
They got all sorts of stats these days. How many games they played, how many catches, how many yards, touchdowns… all that stuff. They even keep track of how many yards they run with the ball, not just catchin’ it. And how many times they try to run, and how far they get each time. It’s a lot to keep track of, I tell ya. But those young folks, they love them numbers.
So, yeah, the Bengals have had a lot of tight ends over the years. Some great, some not so great. But they all played their part. They all wore that orange and black, and they all tried their best. And that’s all you can ask for, ain’t it?
And who knows, maybe this year they’ll have another great one. Maybe some young fella will come along and break all the records. That’s what makes football so excitin’, I guess. You never know what’s gonna happen.
Now, I gotta go make some supper. This talkin’ about football makes me hungry. But you go ahead and look up them Bengals tight ends. You’ll find all sorts of stuff, I betcha. Just remember, some of them were good, some weren’t, but they all played for the Bengals. And that’s somethin’ to be proud of, I reckon.
