Bengals’ Tight-End Troubles Reach Alarming New Levels
So, let’s talk about what’s going on with the Cincinnati Bengals defense right now—because the numbers are so extreme, they almost don’t feel real. The team’s issues covering tight ends aren’t just a 2025 storyline; this has been building for years. But the way things have unfolded this season has taken those struggles to a level that could end up being historically bad.
To start, the Bengals have already allowed 13 touchdowns to tight ends this year. Thirteen. No other team has given up more than seven. And when you zoom out to the past half-century of NFL history, only six teams since the 1970 merger have allowed more than 13 tight-end touchdowns in an entire season. The all-time record is 17, set by the 2013 Arizona Cardinals. Cincinnati still has six games left—and two of those are against Baltimore’s All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews. So, the record isn’t just within reach… it’s practically waving at them.
Also Read:And it’s not only touchdowns. Tight ends have racked up 971 receiving yards against Cincinnati already—almost 200 more than the next worst defense, the Carolina Panthers, who have played one extra game. The NFL record is 1,303 yards allowed by the 2015 New York Giants. For the Bengals to break that, they’d only need to allow about 55 yards per game the rest of the way. Considering how this season has gone, that’s not just realistic—it feels almost inevitable.
The reception totals tell the same story. Cincinnati has surrendered 77 catches to tight ends , the most in the league. The single-season record is 120, set by the 2016 Cowboys. Sitting behind that on the all-time list? Last year’s Bengals, who gave up 111. So this trend isn’t new; it’s just accelerating.
And when you look at the past five seasons, the rankings paint a clear picture. Year after year, Cincinnati has been near the bottom when it comes to covering tight ends—whether it’s receptions, yards, or touchdowns allowed. From 2020 to now, they rank dead last in all three categories: more than 560 receptions allowed, over 6,100 yards, and 48 touchdowns. No other defense has even come close to matching that combination of volume and vulnerability.
So, as the Bengals prepare to face Mark Andrews again—on Thanksgiving week, no less—the matchup feels less like a challenge and more like an opportunity for him to feast. And that’s without even talking about offensive schemes, injuries, or personnel mismatches. The numbers alone tell the story: Cincinnati’s tight-end problem isn’t just a weakness. It’s becoming part of the NFL record books.
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