The Bengals signed Kyle Dugger to a one-year contract on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Dugger, originally a second-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2020, has played in 90 career games with 78 career starts for New England and Pittsburgh (traded to Steelers in October 2025).
2025: Played in 16 games with 13 starts... Started all nine games for Pittsburgh after he was traded to Steelers in October... Recorded a pick-six for Steelers in Week 11 against Bengals... Totaled 49 total tackles (29 solo) and five passes defensed.
2023: Started in all 17 games at safety. Collected 107 tackles (70 solo, 37 assists), 11/2 sacks for a loss of 9.5 yards, 2 interceptions, 6 tackles for loss, 7 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble, 5 quarterback hits and 2 special teams tackles.
2022: Played in 15 games with 15 starts and recorded 69 total tackles (46 solo, 23 assists). Also recorded three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, one sack, nine special teams tackles and one kickoff return for 37 yards... Became the first New England player since 1970 with three defensive touchdowns in a single season.
2021: Played in 15 regular season games with 13 starts and finished with 84 tackles, four interceptions, five passes defensed, one fumble recovery and eight special teams tackles.
2020: Played in 14 games with seven starts in nickel defense and registered 59 tackles, one pass defensed and five special teams tackles. Also returned two kickoffs for 47 yards.
Appeared in 42 games during his career at Lenoir-Rhyne and totaled 237 tackles, 10 interceptions, 36 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries... Returned 67 punts for a school-record 929 yards and six touchdowns... 2019 Cliff Harris Award Winner, given to the best defensive player in NCAA Division II... Was named First Team All-South Atlantic Conference at both defensive back and return specialist as a junior in 2018...Named to the Second Team All-Conference as a redshirt sophomore in 2017... Medical redshirt in 2016... South Atlantic Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2015
