Wilson missed the final six games of the 2024 season due to a knee injury, ending a streak of 39 consecutive starts (including postseason) that dated back to Week 9 of the '22 campaign ... A 2020 third-round draft pick of the Bengals, he has played in 68 career regular-season games (58 starts) and developed into one of the NFL's most productive linebackers ... Has topped 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons, and his 11 career INTs are the most by any LB since he entered the league in 2020 ... He is one of three players leaguewide with at least 10 INTs, five sacks and five FFs since 2020, alongside Minnesota S Harrison Smith and Baltimore CB Marlon Humphrey ... Signed a contract extension in 2023 that runs through '27 season ... Was an all-state selection at both WR and DB in high school, then switched to LB early in college career at the University of Wyoming.
Selected by Cincinnati in third round of 2020 NFL Draft (65th overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 7-21-20 ... Signed contract extension with Bengals on 8-5-23.
2020—Played in 12 games as a rookie, with two starts (Games 7 and 9) as a third LB ... Totaled 27 tackles, one sack, two INTs and three PDs ... Also had six special teams tackles (fourth on team) ... Made NFL debut on Sept. 13 vs. L.A. Chargers, recording two tackles ... Made season-high five tackles on Sept. 27 at Philadelphia, and recorded first career INT in first quarter, picking off QB Carson Wentz ... Recorded second INT on Oct. 11 at Baltimore, picking off QB Lamar Jackson at end of first half ... First career sack came on Nov. 1 vs. Tennessee, when he took down QB Ryan Tannehill for 10-yard loss on third down ... Inactive for Games 14-16 (ankle).
2021—Played and started 13 regular-season games and all four postseason games ... Missed Games 13-15 with right shoulder injury suffered Dec. 5 vs. L.A. Chargers, and then missed season finale at Cleveland while Bengals rested starters for playoffs ... Led team in both tackles (98) and INTs (four); his four INTs tied for most among all NFL LBs, and were most by Bengals LB since 2005 (Odell Thurman, five) ... Also had a sack and a FF, along with two tackles on special teams ... First season as "green dot" communicator on defense ... Intercepted QB Justin Fields late in fourth quarter on Sept. 19 at Chicago, leading to Bengals TD on next play ... Posted first career multi-INT game on Sept. 26 at Pittsburgh, picking off QB Ben Roethlisberger in Steelers territory both times and setting up two Bengals TD drives; also had 14 tackles against Steelers ... In four-game postseason run, he played all 274 defensive snaps, led team in tackles in each game and posted NFL-best 39 tackles, the most in a single postseason since Baltimore LB Ray Lewis (51) in 2012 ... In Divisional Playoff at Tennessee, intercepted QB Ryan Tannehill pass with 28 seconds remaining, setting up game-winning FG three plays later ... Also contributed to two-yard TFL on RB Derrick Henry on fourth-and-one earlier in fourth quarter ... Posted nine tackles (three TFLs) and a PD in Super Bowl LVI vs. L.A. Rams.
2022—Started 15 regular-season games and all three postseason games ... Inactive for Game 7 vs. Atlanta due to shoulder injury ... Led Bengals with 123 tackles (83 solos) ... Recorded 2.5 sacks, three TFLs, four PDs, one INT and one FF ... Grabbed lone INT of season on Sept. 25 at the N.Y. Jets, picking off QB Joe Flacco and returning it 41 yards to set up Bengals FG drive in second quarter ... Had career-high 17 tackles (14 solos) on Dec. 11 vs. Cleveland, with a half sack ... On Dec. 18 at Tampa Bay, posted 15 tackles, including sack of QB Tom Brady that led to fumble recovered by Bengals ... Registered team-high 23 tackles (15 solos) in postseason ... Had game-high 10 tackles in Wild Card Playoff vs. Baltimore, and forced fumble at Bengals' goal line that led to DE Sam Hubbard's 98-yard return for TD in fourth quarter.
2023—Started all 17 games ... Played 1068 of a possible 1095 defensive snaps (97.5 percent; second-most on team) ... Recorded career-high 135 tackles (78 solos), with one sack and five TFLs ... Also had nine PDs, four INTs and three FFs ... INT total tied for team lead and tied for seventh in NFL ... Had two INTs on Sept. 25 vs. L.A. Rams, with second coming at Bengals' 22-yard line in third quarter ... Had 10 tackles and an INT on Oct. 29 at San Francisco; picked off QB Brock Purdy in fourth quarter and returned it 16 yards, leading to Bengals TD on following play ... Forced a fumble on Nov. 12 vs. Houston during split sack with DE Trey Hendrickson (Bengals recovered) ... Returned fourth INT of season 26 yards to set up Bengals FG on Jan. 7 vs. Cleveland.
2024—Started first 11 games ... Inactive for Game 12 due to knee injury ... Spent final five games on Reserve/Injured list (knee) ... Totaled 104 tackles (second on team), two TFLs, one PD, two FFs and two FRs ... Posted at least eight tackles in all 11 games played ... Had 12 tackles in each of first two games, with one TFL and a FF on Sept. 8 vs. New England ... Recovered two fumbles on Nov. 3 vs. Las Vegas; returned first recovery 10 yards to Raiders' 21-yard line (set up Bengals TD) ... Second recovery was at Raiders' 13-yard line in fourth quarter and led to Bengals FG ... On Nov. 17 at L.A. Chargers, forced a fumble at Bengals' 24-yard line (recovered by S Geno Stone), setting up game-tying Bengals TD drive in fourth quarter.
Spent five seasons (2015-19) at Wyoming, with redshirt year in '15 ... Started all 52 possible games in career, and was voted a team captain for final three seasons ... Totaled 421 career tackles (fourth in Mountain West Conference history), including 35 TFLs and seven sacks, with 17 pass breakups, 10 INTs (two pick-sixes), four FFs and four FRs (two returned for TDs) ... Topped 100 tackles in each of final three seasons ... Four-time Academic All-Mountain West selection.
Hometown is Casper, Wyo. ... Attended Natrona County High School in Casper, where he was a Wyoming Coaches Association Class 4A all-state selection as a WR and DB his final two seasons, as a punter his final three seasons, and as a K his junior season ... As a senior, caught 29 passes for 493 yards and seven TDs at WR, had six INTs as a DB, and averaged 43.7 yards on 27 punts ... Helped team to undefeated seasons and 4A state titles as both a sophomore and senior ... Kinesiology and health promotion major at Wyoming ... Recipient of Bengals' 2022 Ed Block Courage Award, which honors players who symbolize professionalism, strength and dedication while also serving as role models in the community ... He and his wife, Morgan, welcomed their first daughter in March, 2024.
