A natural playmaker on defense’s front line, Dunlap shows clear Pro Bowl potential for 2013 ... Began 2012 action in Game 3, after missing time with preseason knee injury ... Had key plays in wins Sept. 23 at Washington, Dec. 2 at San Diego and Dec. 30 vs. Baltimore ... Had a 14-yard INT return for a TD to seal win vs. Baltimore ... Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at San Diego ... His only hurdle to full stardom is challenge of completing a season without time missed due to injuries.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Selected by Cincinnati in second round of 2010 NFL Draft (54th overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 7-28-10.
2012 GENERAL: Played in games 3-16, with a start in Game 14 at Philadelphia ... Inactive for Games 1-2 as he continued recovery from preseason knee injury suffered Aug. 10 vs. N.Y. Jets ... Totaled 55 tackles, 6.0 sacks, four passes defensed and an INT returned for a TD ... Tied for team lead in both forced fumbles (four) and fumble recoveries (three) ... His seven combined fumbles forced and recovered led the team by three ... Had 27 QB pressures (second on team) and five tackles-for-loss.
AFC'S BEST: Dunlap was named by NFL as AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance Dec. 2 at San Diego ... Had had two sacks, forcing a fumble on each of them, and recovered one of those fumbles late in the game to help preserve the win ... Totaled five tackles and four additional QB pressures in the game overall.
2012 GAME-BY-GAME: Opened his season with high impact in Game 3, Sept. 23 at Washington, setting up a Bengals TD when he forced a fumble by Robert Griffin III and recovered it at Redskins 12 ... Had two additional QB pressures in Redskins game ... Three tackles Sept. 30 at Jacksonville, including a six-yard sack of Blaine Gabbert ... On Nov. 11 vs. N.Y. Giants, his six-yard sack of Eli Manning at Bengals 20 helped force Giants to settle for FG and 17-6 halftime deficit, and he also had a fumble recovery at Bengals 14 and three additional QB pressures ... Had two sacks of Philip Rivers on Dec. 2 at San Diego, and on each he forced a fumble ... Chargers recovered first fumble, but seven-yard loss was key as San Diego settled for FG and 7-3 deficit ... Bengals recovered second fumble, after Dunlap dropped Rivers for a 10-yard loss, and it set up FG that produced eventual 20-13 victory margin ... Totaled five tackles in San Diego game, and was credited by coaches with four additional QB pressures ... Two tackles Dec. 9 vs. Dallas, including a shared sack (with DE Michael Johnson), and was credited with two additional QB pressures ... Five tackles Dec. 13 at Philadelphia, along with a forced fumble (Bengals recovered) on WR Jeremy Maclin on game’s opening drive, leading to a Bengals TD ... Seven tackles Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh, including a shared sack, with two passes defensed and three QB pressures (led team) ... Sealed Bengals victory Dec. 30 vs. Baltimore when in the fourth quarter he tipped a Tyrod Taylor pass at the line of scrimmage, caught it, and returned the INT 14 yards for a TD ... Also vs. Baltimore, had two tackles, including a 13-yard sack.
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2010—A Pro Football Weekly all-rookie team selection, Dunlap contested Detroit DT Ndamukong Suh for the league’s rookie sacks title, posting Bengals rookie-record 9.5 and losing the crown when Suh went to 10.0 with a zero-yard sack late in fourth quarter in Week 17 ... Dunlap eclipsed former Bengals rookie sack record of 8.5, set by DE Justin Smith in 2001 ... All of Dunlap’s sacks came in last eight games, including 8.5 in last six games ... Became first rookie to lead the team in sacks for a season since 1990, when LB James Francis led with 8.0 ... On Nov. 14 at Indianapolis, brought down Peyton Manning for first career sack, for four-yard loss in second quarter ... Sacked Mark Sanchez twice Nov. 25 at N.Y. Jets ... Had 1.5 sacks of Drew Brees on Dec. 5 vs. New Orleans ... Sacked Ben Roethlisberger for eight yards Dec. 12 at Pittsburgh ... His two tackles in win Dec. 19 vs. Cleveland were both sacks of Colt McCoy ... Seven-yard sack of Philip Rivers in upset win Dec. 26 vs. San Diego ... Closed season with his fourth multiple-sack game of the last six, getting 1.5 against Joe Flacco on Jan. 2 at Baltimore.
2011—His sack total dipped to 4.5, from 9.5 as a rookie, but despite missing four games he still led team in QB pressures (27) and had an impressive fumble return for a key TD ... Played in 12 games and in Wild Card playoff ... Missed Games 9 and 11-13 due to hamstring injury ... Supported effort for Bengals defense to rank seventh in NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (316.3) and fourth in fewest yards allowed per offensive play (5.0) ... On Sept. 11 at Cleveland, logged a team-high four QB pressures, and his pressure in fourth quarter helped force INT by DE Michael Johnson ... On Oct. 16 at Indianapolis, with Colts looking to erase a 20-17 Bengals lead in the fourth quarter, Dunlap scooped a Pierre Garcon fumble at the Colts 35 and ran for a game-clinching TD, displaying speed and moves rarely seen in a player his size ... Had a team season-high eight QB pressures Oct. 30 at Seattle, along with a nine-yard sack of Tarvaris Jackson in fourth quarter ... On Nov. 6 at Tennessee, had two sacks of Matt Hasselbeck for 22 yards, along with a pass defensed ... Three tackles in Wild Card playoff 1-7-12 at Houston.
COLLEGE: Played three seasons (2007-09) at Florida, with totals of 84 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, eight passes defensed and four blocked kicks ... Entered NFL Draft following his junior season ... Named Defensive MVP of 2008 season BCS national championship win over Oklahoma ... Helped Gators to 13-1 records in each of his last two seasons, including 51-24 Sugar Bowl victory over University of Cincinnati to close 2009 campaign.
PERSONAL: Hometown is North Charleston, S.C. ... Attended Fort Dorchester High School, and closed his career ranked 15th on ESPN’s Top 150 recruits list ... Pursuing a business degree from Florida ... Selected to SEC Academic Honor Roll as a freshman ... Enjoys playing basketball.
