James Casey is in his seventh season in Cincinnati, and seventh as an NFL coach. He joined the Bengals as tight ends coach prior to the 2019 season.
In 2024, Casey worked with seventh-year pro Mike Gesicki, who joined the Bengals in free agency during the offseason and went on to post the second-most receptions in his career (65) and third-most receiving yards (665). Gesicki's 65 grabs also were the second-most in a season by a TE in team history. Casey additionally helped fourth-round draft pick Erick All Jr. transition to the pros, as the rookie contributed 158 receiving yards and emerged as a talented blocker prior to his season-ending injury in Week 9.
In 2023, Casey worked with a versatile TE room that saw four players start at least one game. Fourth-year pro Tanner Hudson, who began the year on the team's practice squad, became a dependable pass-catching option in the second half of the season and led the position group in receptions (39) and receiving yards (352).
In 2022, Casey coached offseason free agent signee Hayden Hurst, who in his lone season with Cincinnati caught 52 passes — the most by a Bengals TE since 2015 — despite missing three games. TE Mitchell Wilcox also set career highs in receptions (17) and receiving yards (139).
In 2021, Casey helped TE C.J. Uzomah log career highs in catches (49), receiving yards (493) and receiving TDs (five), ranking in the top 10 among AFC tight ends in each category. Uzomah then had 146 receiving yards in the postseason as Cincinnati advanced to Super Bowl LVI.
In 2020, Casey oversaw TE Drew Sample's transition into a more prominent role after Uzomah suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. Sample totaled career highs in receptions (40) and receiving yards (349).
In 2019, Casey's first season in Cincinnati, the Bengals' tight ends accounted for six of the team's 18 receiving TDs. The group also contributed in pass protection, helping Cincinnati allow 10 fewer sacks in the second half of the season compared to the first.
Prior to joining the Bengals, Casey spent three years (2016-18) on the University of Houston coaching staff. In 2018, he served as special teams coordinator/tight ends coach, and helped the Cougars' offense rank fourth nationally in scoring (46.4 points per game).
In 2017, Casey helped TE Romello Brooker lead the American Athletic Conference in receiving TDs (six) while netting 29 catches for 364 yards.
Casey broke into coaching in 2016 as an offensive analyst at Houston. That year, the Cougars ranked 15th nationally in passing offense (310.9 yards per game) and 21st in scoring (38.0 points). Houston topped the 30-point mark in 11 of 12 regular-season games.
Casey had a seven-year NFL playing career (2009-15), lining up both at tight end and fullback. He entered the league as a fifth-round draft pick of the Texans in 2009, and spent four seasons ('09-12) with Houston before later stints with Philadelphia ('13-14) and Denver ('15).
Casey played collegiately at Rice University, where he had a record-setting career as a tight end in just two seasons (2007-08). He set single-season school records for receptions and receiving yards, and had a single-game record for receiving yards. He earned Freshman All-America honors in 2007, then garnered first-team All-Conference USA and Academic All-America recognition in '08. He was named the 2008 recipient of Rice's James W. Glanville Award, presented to the player who has achieved excellence in athletics, academics and integrity.
Prior to his time at Rice, Casey was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the seventh round of the 2003 MLB Draft. He spent three seasons with the White Sox organization as a pitcher, before enrolling at Rice and pursuing football.
Casey was born on Sept. 22, 1984, in Fort Worth, Texas, and was raised in nearby Azle, Texas. He attended Azle High School, where he was a standout quarterback on the football team and pitcher on the baseball team.
Casey and his wife, Kylie, have two sons, Cannon and Knox.
Playing and coaching history: 2007-08—Played TE at Rice. 2009-12—Played TE with Houston Texans. 2013-14—Played TE with Philadelphia Eagles. 2015—Played TE with Denver Broncos. 2016-18—Assistant coach (AC), University of Houston. 2019-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
