Justin Hill is in his fifth season with the Bengals in 2025, after joining the staff in '21 as running backs coach.
In 2024, Hill helped second-year pro Chase Brown emerge as a versatile piece in the Bengals' high-powered offense. Brown ranked in the top 20 leaguewide in rushing attempts (229; 16th), rushing yards (990; 17th), rushing TDs (seven; T-19th), yards from scrimmage (1350; 17th) and TDs from scrimmage (11; T-17th). He logged at least 90 scrimmage yards in eight straight games (Game 8-16), joining former FB Boobie Clark in 1973 as the only players in team history to do so.
In 2023, Hill worked with HB Joe Mixon as he recorded his fourth career 1000-yard rushing season. Mixon finished with 1034 yards on the ground to go with 376 receiving yards, which made him one of three NFL players with over 1200 scrimmage yards in each season since 2021 — when Hill joined the Bengals' staff. Hill also helped in Brown's development as a rookie, as the fifth-round pick contributed 322 scrimmage yards over his final six games.
In 2022, Hill coached a running backs group that helped Cincinnati rank eighth in the NFL in total offense (360.5 yards per game). Mixon posted 1255 scrimmage yards, including a career-high 441 receiving. When Mixon missed two games midseason due to an injury, HB Samaje Perine stepped in and rushed for a combined 166 yards on 38 carries (4.4 average). Perine finished the regular season with 394 rushing yards, his most since 2017.
In 2021, his first season in Cincinnati, Hill helped Mixon enjoy a career year that resulted in his first Pro Bowl selection. Mixon ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards (1205) and rushing TDs (13) during the regular season, then ran for 262 yards in the postseason to help lead the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.
Hill spent the previous six seasons (2015-20) as running backs coach at the University of Tulsa. During his tenure with the Golden Hurricane, the team's running backs totaled 50 100-yard rushing games and five 200-yard games. His running backs earned a combined four all-conference honors.
Hill was promoted to run game coordinator prior to the 2020 season, and helped steer Tulsa's backfield through an injury to No. 1 RB Shamari Brooks. RBs Corey Taylor II and Deneric Prince stepped in and combined for 1076 rushing yards and eight TDs in just nine games.
In 2016, Two of Hill's proteges — RBs James Flanders and D'Angelo Brewer — each topped 1000 yards rushing, with Flanders' school-record 1629 yards leading the American Athletic Conference. Flanders and Brewer became the first duo in school history to combine for 3000 rushing yards and set a school record with eight 300-plus yard games.
In 2017, Tulsa ranked 14th nationally in rushing (247.3), and Brewer became the all-time rushing leader (3917) for both Tulsa and the AAC. After the season, Hill was selected by the American Football Coaches Association to participate in the AFCA's "30 Under 30" Coaches' Leadership Institute.
During his tenure at Tulsa, Hill guided four players — Flanders, Brewer, Brooks and Taylor — to 1000 career rushing yards. He also was at the helm for three of Tulsa's top five single-season rushing outputs.
Prior to his time at Tulsa, Hill spent three seasons (2012-14) at Baylor University, where he served as associate director of athletic performance for the football team. He spent 2011 as a graduate assistant coach at Iowa State.
Hill played collegiately at Rice University from 2007-10. He began his career as a running back, starting seven games and totaling a team-high 321 yards and three TDs as a true freshman. He then spent his final three seasons at linebacker and recorded 97 tackles, six pass break-ups and three FFs. He was a team co-captain in 2010 and won the Jess Nealy Award, an honor given annually to the Owls' top LB.
Hill was born Sept. 9, 1988 in Mesquite, Texas. He graduated from Rice in 2011 with a degree in sociology, then earned his master's in educational leadership and policy studies from Iowa State in 2015. He and his wife, Dana, have one daughter, Avery, and one son, Jordan.
Playing and coaching history: 2007-10—Played RB and LB at Rice. 2011—Graduate assistant, Iowa State. 2012-14—Associate director of athletic performance, Baylor. 2015-20—Assistant coach (AC), Tulsa. 2021-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
