Troy Walters is in his sixth season with the Bengals and fifth as wide receivers coach, after joining the staff as assistant WRs coach in 2020.
Walters' wide receiver room in 2024 was headlined by fourth-year pro Ja'Marr Chase, who earned the prestigious "Triple Crown" after leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1708) and receiving TDs (17). His catches and receiving yardage each set a Cincinnati single-season record, while his TDs tied the team record originally set by WR Carl Pickens in 1995. Chase garnered his fourth career Pro Bowl selection and was a unanimous first-team All-Pro pick by the Associated Press. Walters also helped WR Tee Higgins set a career high with 10 TD receptions (tied for sixth in NFL), while former sixth-round pick Andrei Iosivas contributed 479 receiving yards and six TDs in his sophomore campaign.
In 2023, Walters helped Chase reach the 100-catch mark for the first time in his career while also leading the team in receiving yards (1216) and TDs (seven). He became just the eighth player in NFL history to begin his career with three consecutive 1000-yard receiving seasons.
In 2022, Walters coached Chase to an encore performance in his second pro season, as the Pro Bowler led Cincinnati in all receiving categories despite playing in just 12 games. Higgins (1029) eclipsed the 1000-yard plateau for a second straight season.
In 2021, Chase, Higgins and WR Tyler Boyd combined for 3374 receiving yards, the most by any trio in the NFL. Chase, the team's first-round draft pick, posted a then-team-record 1455 receiving yards and was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. He then set both a Bengals postseason record and an NFL rookie postseason record with 368 receiving yards.
Serving as assistant WRs coach for the Bengals in 2020, Walters helped guide a rookie Higgins to 67 catches for 908 yards and six TDs.
Prior to the Bengals, Walters spent two seasons (2018-19) as offensive coordinator at the University of Nebraska. The 2018 Cornhuskers averaged 456.2 yards per game, second-most in the Big Ten.
Walters served as offensive coordinator at the University of Central Florida from 2016-17. In 2017, he was named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach, after helping guide UCF to a 13-0 record and the top scoring offense in the FBS (48.2 points per game).
Walters from 2013-15 was WRs coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Colorado after spending '12 as WRs coach at North Carolina State.
Walter coached WRs at Texas A&M from 2010-11, working alongside current Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who at the time was the Aggies' tight ends coach. He broke into coaching at Indiana State University in 2009, where he served as offensive coordinator.
A four-year standout as a WR at Stanford (1996-99), Walters ended his collegiate career as the Pac-12's all-time leader in receiving yards (4047). He set program records for career receptions (244) and 100-yard receiving games (19), as well as single-season records for catches (86 in 1997) and receiving yards (1456 in '99). In 1999, he won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver.
Walters was selected in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He went on to also play for the Colts, Cardinals and Lions, and over eight NFL seasons totaled 98 catches for 1135 yards and nine TDs, as well as more than 3800 return yards.
His father, Trent Walters, played running back for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League from 1966-67, then spent 39 years ('68-2007) as an assistant coach in the NFL and college ranks. He served as the Bengals' secondary coach in 1984.
Born Dec. 15, 1976, in Bloomington, Ind., Walters attended Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas. He has a bachelor's in communications (1999) and a masters in sociology (2000) from Stanford. He and his wife, Josephine, have two sons, Tate and Wynn, and two daughters, Faith and Landri.
Playing and coaching history: 1995-99—Played WR at Stanford. 2000-01—Played WR with Minnesota Vikings. 2002-05—Played WR with Indianapolis Colts. 2006—Played WR with Arizona Cardinals. 2007—Played WR with Detroit Lions. 2009—Assistant coach (AC), Indiana State. 2010-11—AC, Texas A&M. 2012—AC, North Carolina State. 2013-15—AC, Colorado. 2016-17—Offensive coordinator, Central Florida. 2018-19—Offensive coordinator, Nebraska. 2020-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
