Here are the Bengals players named team captains for the 2022 season
Before the start of Week 1 every year, team captains around the NFL are named for each team.
In Cincinnati, the vote is completely player-led. No coaches, team staff, etc. get to vote on the captains.
On Monday, head coach Zac Taylor named the seven team captains for his squad ahead of the season-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
#Bengals head coach Zac Taylor reveals who the team captains are for the year: pic.twitter.com/KrVSxQDyzX
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) September 5, 2022
On offense, quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Joe Mixon and center Ted Karras will represent the “C” patch on their jerseys. Burrow and Mixon were captains last season, this marks the second year in a row both Mixon and Burrow are team captains, but Karras is new to the list. It speaks volumes to Karras’ leadership that he was named a captain in his first season with the team.
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"He's made a really strong impression on his teammates," Taylor said. "He comes in and does all the extras, leads by example, leads vocally, guys trust that he knows what to do to the utmost. I have a lot of confidence with him in here, just talking to him, seeing him every day and how he goes about his business."
After signing with the Bengals in free agency, Karras quickly earned the respect of his new teammates. The hope is with Karras anchoring the offensive line, Cincinnati will be much improved in pass protection, running the ball and in the overall offense. Burrow was sacked 70 times in 2021 and the Bengals ranked No. 23 in rushing offense (102.5 yards per game).
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Defensively, safety Vonn Bell, defensive end Sam Hubbard and defensive tackle DJ Reader are the captains. Bell and Hubbard return as captains while Reader is a first-time captain. Since he signed with the Bengals in 2020, Reader has been a key building block for Cincinnati’s defense. He’s also played at a really high level for every season he’s been with the Bengals and has been a constant voice in the locker room through the ups and the downs over the last few seasons.
On special teams, safety Michael Thomas will represent the group. Thomas was a key special teams contributor in the Bengals’ Super Bowl 56 run. He amassed six special teams tackles over the course of the season and added three in the postseason. Thomas began his career in the NFL as an undrafted free agent who earned a spot on the practice squad with the San Francisco 49ers in 2012.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals name team captains for 2022 NFL season
