The 2019 season was the Cincinnati Bengals' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 52nd overall, their 20th playing home games at Paul Brown Stadium and the first under head coach Zac Taylor. This was the Bengals' first season since 2002 without long-time head coach Marvin Lewis, as he mutually agreed to part ways after the conclusion of the 2018 season.
Not only did the Bengals not improve upon last season's record of 6–10, but they also suffered an 0–11 start to the season for the first time in franchise history. As a result, they became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention when they lost to the Oakland Raiders in Week 11, extending their playoff drought to four seasons. This marked the Bengals' fourth consecutive losing season. They finished the season 2–14, tying their franchise-worst record from 2002.
The Bengals won their first game in Week 13, when they defeated the New York Jets, 22–6.
With a Week 16 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Bengals secured the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, which was then used to select QB Joe Burrow. It was the first time they had the first overall pick since 2003, when they drafted QB Carson Palmer. This would end up being quarterback Andy Dalton's final season with the Bengals, as he was released shortly after the team drafted Burrow.
Offseason
Coaching changes February 4, 2019: Named Zac Taylor head coach, the tenth head coach in Bengals history. Taylor was previously the Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach. February 7, 2019: Announced the hiring of four offensive assistants: Brian Callahan as offensive coordinator, Jim Turner will be the offensive line coach, James Casey as tight ends coach, Ben Martin as assistant offensive line coach. February 11, 2019: Announced the hiring of three assistant coaches: Jemal Singleton as running backs coach, Joey Boese as strength and conditioning coach, and Doug Rosfeld as director of coaching operations. Rosfeld was previously the head football coach at Cincinnati's Archbishop Moeller High School in 2018. February 21, 2019: Announced the hiring of Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator. Anarumo was previously the defensive backs coach for the New York Giants. Prior to joining the Giants, he was the defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2012 to 2017. February 28, 2019: Announced the hiring of six assistant coaches: Nick Eason as defensive line coach, Tem Lukabu as linebackers coach, Brad Kragthorpe as an offensive assistant, Jordan Kovacs as defensive quality control coach, and Todd Hunt and Garrett Swanson as assistant strength and conditioning coaches. March 7, 2019: Announced the hiring of two assistant coaches, Mark Duffner as senior defensive assistant, and Gerald Chatman as a defensive assistant.
Free agents
Unrestricted
Position Player 2019 Team Date signed Contract OLB Preston Brown Cincinnati Bengals March 13 3 years, $16.5 million CB Darqueze Dennard Cincinnati Bengals March 25 1 year, $4.5 million DE Kasim Edebali TE Tyler Eifert Cincinnati Bengals March 16 1 year, $4 million TE Jake Fisher Buffalo Bills March 22 1 year, $805,000 OT Bobby Hart Cincinnati Bengals March 12 3 years, $16.15 million DE Michael Johnson Retirement TE Tyler Kroft Buffalo Bills March 11 3 years, $18.75 million OT Cedric Ogbuehi Jacksonville Jaguars March 16 1 year, $895,000 OLB Vincent Rey QB Tom Savage Detroit Lions April 9 1 year, $895,000 OT Andre Smith Cincinnati Bengals July 25 1 year, $1.03 million TE C. J. Uzomah Cincinnati Bengals March 14 3 years, $18.3 million
Restricted and Exclusive-Rights Position Player Tag 2019 Team Date signed Contract G Trey Hopkins Cincinnati Bengals April 4 1 year, $3.095M TE Matt Lengel CB Tony McRae ERFA Cincinnati Bengals April 9 1 year, $645,000 G Alex Redmond ERFA Cincinnati Bengals April 10 1 year, $645,000 DT Josh Tupou ERFA Cincinnati Bengals March 21 1 year, $645,000 DT Adolphus Washington RFA Miami Dolphins May 23 1 year, $720,000 S Brandon Wilson ERFA Cincinnati Bengals March 11 1 year, $645,000
Signings Position Player 2018 team Date signed Contract G John Miller Buffalo Bills March 15 3 years, $16.5 million CB B. W. WebbNew York Giants March 14 3 years, $10.5 million DE Kerry Wynn March 27 1 year, $1.4 million T Justin Evans Arizona Cardinals May 22 1 year, $495K G John Jerry New York Giants June 10 1 year, $930K
Departures Position Player 2019 team Contract LB Vontaze Burfict Oakland Raiders 1 year, $2 million RB Mark Walton Miami Dolphins 1 year, $495,000 LB Brandon Bell G Rod Taylor G Clint BolingRetirement WR Kermit Whitfield
Draft
Notes The Bengals were awarded three compensatory picks (210th, 211th and 213th overall) by the NFL. The Bengals received a sixth-round draft pick (198th overall) from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for cornerback Bene Benwikere. The Bengals received the Denver Broncos second-, fourth- and sixth-round selections (52nd, 125th and 182nd overall) in exchange for the Bengals' second-round selection (42nd overall). The Bengals received the San Francisco 49ers fourth-round selection (104th overall) in exchange for two of the Bengals sixth-round selections (183rd and 198th overall). The Bengals received the Dallas Cowboys fourth-round selection (136th overall) in exchange for the Bengals fifth- and sixth-round selections (149th and 213th overall).
Undrafted free agents +PlayerPositionCollegeSigned Jake Dolegala QB Central ConnecticutMay 10 O'Shea Dugas OL Penn State Charles Holland WR Tiffin Curtis Akins OLB Penn State Jordan Ellis RB Virginia Tyree Kinnel DB Michigan Stanley Morgan Jr. WR Nebraska Keaton Sutherland OL Texas A&M Anthony Chesley DB Coastal Carolina Damion Willis WR Troy Sterling Sheffield LB Maine May 11 Ventell Bryant WR Temple Noah Dawkins LB The Citadel Made regular season roster
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Kansas City Chiefs L 17–38 0–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 2 at Washington Redskins W 23–13 1–1 FedExField Recap 3 New York Giants L 23–25 1–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 4 Indianapolis Colts L 6–13 1–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 8 at Seattle Seahawks L 20–21 0–1 CenturyLink Field Recap 2 September 15 San Francisco 49ers L 17–41 0–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 3 September 22 at Buffalo Bills L 17–21 0–3 New Era Field Recap 4 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 3–27 0–4 Heinz Field Recap 5 October 6 Arizona Cardinals L 23–26 0–5 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 6 October 13 at Baltimore Ravens L 17–23 0–6 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 7 October 20 Jacksonville Jaguars L 17–27 0–7 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 8 October 27 at Los Angeles Rams L 10–24 0–8 Wembley Stadium Recap 9Bye 10 November 10 Baltimore Ravens L 13–49 0–9 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 11 November 17 at Oakland Raiders L 10–17 0–10 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 12 November 24 Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–16 0–11 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 13 December 1 New York Jets W 22–6 1–11 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 14 December 8 at Cleveland Browns L 19–27 1–12 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 15 December 15 New England Patriots L 13–34 1–13 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 16 December 22 at Miami Dolphins L 35–38 1–14 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 17 December 29 Cleveland Browns W 33–23 2–14 Paul Brown Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Seattle Seahawks
The Bengals began their season on the road against the Seahawks. In the first quarter, the Bengals scored first when Randy Bullock made a 39-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead and the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Seahawks took the lead when Chris Carson ran for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 7–3. The Bengals retook the lead when John Ross III caught a 33-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton to make it 10–7. The Seahawks then went back into the lead when Carson caught a 10-yard TD pass from Russell Wilson to make it 14–10. Though, the Bengals moved back into the lead when Dalton found Ross III again on a 55-yard TD pass to make it 17–14 at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, the Seahawks retook the lead when Tyler Lockett caught a 44-yard TD pass from Wilson to make it 21–17. Later on in the fourth quarter, Bullock got the Bengals within 1 when he kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it 21–20. The Bengals' defense forced the Seahawks to go 3 and out and got the ball back. Dalton had completed a 6-yard pass to Tyler Eifert. However, the Seahawks' defense stood up to Dalton on the next play and sacked him, resulting in a fumble which the Seahawks recovered, sealing the game.
With the loss, the Bengals started 0–1.
Week 2: vs. San Francisco 49ers
After a tough road loss, the Bengals went home to face the 49ers. The 49ers scored first when Marquise Goodwin caught a 38-yard TD pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to make it 7–0. The Bengals tied the game up at 7–7 when Andy Dalton found Tyler Eifert on a 1-yard TD pass. The 49ers however retook the lead when Garoppolo found Raheem Mostert on a 39-yard TD pass to make it 14–7. In the second quarter, the 49ers increased their lead when Jeff Wilson ran for a 2-yard TD to make it 21–7. The Bengals drew closer when Randy Bullock kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 21–10. Though, the 49ers would move back into a 2-touchdown lead when Robbie Gould kicked a 33-yard field goal for a 24–10 halftime lead. In the third quarter, it was all 49ers when Garoppolo found Deebo Samuel on a 2-yard TD pass to make it 31–10. This would be followed by Gould kicking a 38-yard field goal to make it 34–10. By the fourth quarter, the 49ers pretty much sealed the game as Wilson ran for a 4-yard TD to make it 41–10. The scoring ended when Dalton found John Ross III on a late 66-yard TD pass to make the final score 41–17.
With the loss, the Bengals fell to 0–2.
Week 3: at Buffalo Bills
The Bengals traveled for a Week 3 duel against the Bills. In the first half, it was all Bills scoring starting in the first quarter when they jumped out to a 14–0 lead before halftime. Though, the Bengals would respond by taking the lead well into the fourth quarter to make it 17–14, the Bills scored a late TD when Frank Gore ran it from a yard out. The Bengals got the ball with 1:50 left and drove to the Bills' 28-yard line where Andy Dalton threw the game losing interception on a 3rd and 5 sealing the 21–17 victory for the Bills.
With the loss, the Bengals fell to 0–3.
Week 4: at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Bengals then traveled again to Pittsburgh to take on the 0–3 division rival Steelers. In the first quarter, the Bengals managed to make it 3–0 after Randy Bullock kicked a 28-yard field goal. However, from the second quarter on wards, it would be all Steelers scoring which would lead to the eventual final score of 27–3 and a win sealed for them.
With the loss, the Bengals fell to 0–4. The team also suffered its ninth straight loss to the Steelers and first 0-4 start since 2008.
Week 5: vs. Arizona Cardinals