Former Cincinnati Bengals Tight End C.J. Uzomah Announces Retirement

Former Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah is calling it a career after 10 seasons in the NFL, officially announcing his retirement Monday in Cincinnati, the city where his professional football journey began.

Uzomah returned to the Queen City to retire in the orange and black, sharing a message of appreciation for the organization, the city and the fans who supported him throughout his career. He described Cincinnati as his “second home” and reflected on the relationships he built during his seven seasons with the Bengals.

The Bengals selected Uzomah out of Auburn in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft with the 157th overall pick. He spent his first seven NFL seasons in Cincinnati from 2015-21, developing from a fifth-round pick into a key part of the team’s offense.

Uzomah’s time in Cincinnati reached its peak during the 2021 season. After missing most of the previous season with a torn Achilles, he returned to produce career highs across the board, recording 49 receptions for 493 yards and five touchdowns. He also played a significant role during Cincinnati’s postseason run to Super Bowl LVI, one that gave the Bengals their first playoff win in Uzomah’s lifetime.

In seven seasons with the Bengals, Uzomah appeared in 84 games and made 61 starts, finishing with 163 receptions for 1,591 yards and 13 touchdowns. His best season came in 2021, but his impact extended beyond the statistics, as he became a leader in the locker room and a fan favorite on Sundays.

Uzomah continued his career with the New York Jets from 2022-23 before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. He appeared in seven games for Philadelphia and was part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning roster that season. He did not play during the 2025 season.

Across his 10-year career, Uzomah played in 113 regular-season games, making 85 starts. He finished with 192 receptions for 1,881 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Now, Uzomah’s NFL career comes full circle. After spending seven seasons helping build one of the most memorable Bengals teams of the modern era, he gets to officially walk away from football as a member of the organization that gave him his first opportunity.

He joins some of the Bengals’ great tight ends in retirement, including a recent addition to the Ring of Honor, Bob Trumpy.

Uzomah will be the Ruler of the Jungle for the Bengals’ Week 4 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.