Andrew Whitworth doesn’t hold back when discussing Bengals’ inability to take swings

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 25: Andrew Whitworth on set during the TNF on Prime pregame show prior to an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Cincinnati Bengals only have two former players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame—Anthony Muñoz and Ken Riley—but there are several others who are, or will be, deserving. One of those will be former offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth (when he’s eligible).

He played 16 seasons in the league, his first 11 of which were with the Bengals, so he knows what he’s talking about when he’s asked about his first NFL franchise. He was recently asked by The Cincinnati Enquirer ’s Kelsey Conway about the state of the franchise , and he didn’t hold back. “I think for them, health has been a factor.

Obviously, you can’t change a lot of that,” he said. “There’s also been things where you say, defensively, it’s been a struggle. I think the biggest problem has probably been not being able to bring in the kind of guys that draft well.

A franchise like Cincinnati, let’s be real with each other, they’re not going to live in a trade world, (they’re not) going to overpay guys. So guess what? You’re going to have to draft well.