A valuable reserve running back now entering his third Bengals season, Perine in 2020 saw increased time on offense after starting HB Joe Mixon suffered a season-ending injury in Game 6 ... Rushed 63 times for 301 yards (4.8) and three TDs in 2020, and caught 11 passes for 66 yards ... Saw action on 19.2 percent of offensive snaps in 2020, with majority of his playing time coming late in the season ... Had best game as a Bengal on Dec. 27 at Houston, when he posted 136 yards from scrimmage (95 rushing, 41 receiving) and two TDs ... Originally a fourth-round draft pick of Washington in 2017, and spent two seasons ('17-18) there before joining Cincinnati on waivers after final roster cuts in '19 ... Spent one game with Miami in 2019 after being signed off of Cincinnati's practice squad, but was then re-acquired on waivers by the Bengals in April 2020 ... Played collegiately at University of Oklahoma, where he shared backfield with Bengals HB Joe Mixon ... Finished college career as OU's all-time leading rusher (4122 yards) despite turning pro after three seasons, and also set NCAA's single-game rushing record as freshman in 2014 (427 yards vs. Kansas).
Career transactions: Selected by Washington in fourth round of 2017 NFL Draft (114th overall) ... Signed with Washington on 5-11-17 ... Waived by Washington on 8-31-19 ... Acquired by Cincinnati on waivers from Washington on 9-1-19 ... Waived by Bengals on 10-17-19 ... Signed to Bengals practice squad on 10-18-19 ... Signed off Bengals practice squad by Miami on 12-24-19 ... Waived by Dolphins on 4-27-20 ... Acquired by Cincinnati on waivers from Dolphins on 4-28-20 ... Contract expired on 3-17-21; became unrestricted free agent ... Re-signed with Bengals as unrestricted free agent on 3-24-21.
2020 highlights: Played in all 16 games for the Bengals, with one start (Game 16 as second HB) ... Saw action on 19.2 percent of offensive snaps, with increased action in final 10 games after starting HB Joe Mixon was lost for the season due to injury ... Totaled 63 rushes for 301 yards and three TDs, along with 11 catches for 66 yards ... Also contributed on special teams, playing 285 snaps and recording three ST tackles ... Recorded first rushing TD (one yard) as a Bengal on Nov. 1 vs. Tennessee ... Posted career-high 136 yards from scrimmage (95 rushing, 41 receiving) on Dec. 27 vs. Houston, and rushed for go-ahead scores of three and 46 yards (career long).
Previous seasons: 2017—Played in all 16 games as a rookie, earning eight starts ... Led Washington in rushing attempts (175) and rushing yards (603) ... Scored one rushing TD, and also recorded 22 receptions for 182 yards and a receiving TD ... Also was a special teams contributor, and returned two kickoffs for 48 yards ... Made his NFL debut on Sept. 10 vs. Philadelphia, and played on special teams (no statistics) ... Made his first career start on Sept. 24 vs. Oakland, and rushed 19 times for 49 yards, and caught a six-yard pass ... Helped Washington to a win over San Francisco on Oct. 15, with three catches for 24 yards and his first career TD ... Rushed 23 times for career-high 117 yards and a TD on Nov. 19 at New Orleans ... On Nov. 23 vs. the N.Y. Giants, gained 100 yards on a career-high 24 rushes. 2018—Played in five games (Games 5-6, 8-9 and 16) for the Washington ... Totaled eight rushes for 32 yards, and caught three passes for five yards ... On Nov. 4 vs. Atlanta, he totaled 20 yards on two carries, and caught two passes for eight yards. 2019—Played in Games 1-6 for the Bengals, and made four special teams tackles ... Made Bengals debut in Game 1 at Seattle, and had one special teams tackle ... Waived on Oct. 17 and signed Oct. 18 to Cincinnati's practice squad, where he spent Games 7-15 ... Signed off of Bengals' practice squad by the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 24 ... Played on offense and special teams in Dolphins' season finale at New England and had five carries for 16 yards.
College: Spent three seasons (2014-16) at Oklahoma ... Played in 36 games, with 30 starts, and shared the Sooners backfield his final two seasons with Bengals HB Joe Mixon ... Finished college career as OU's all-time leading rusher (4122 yards), despite turning pro after just three seasons ... Also set the NCAA's single-game rushing record as a freshman in 2014, when he rushed for 427 yards vs. Kansas ... Finished career ranked fifth in school history in rushing TDs (49), fifth in carries (685) and sixth in all-purpose yards (4443) ... Team captain as a junior in 2016.
Personal: Hometown is Pflugerville, Texas ... Attended Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville, where he rushed for 1492 yards and 12 TDs as a senior ... As a junior, rushed for 1992 yards and 16 TDs ... Human relations major at Oklahoma ... First name is pronounced "suh-MAH-jay" and last name is pronounced "PEE-rhine."
