CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals organization is mourning the loss of a former tight end and wide receiver who played during the team’s inaugural season.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Bob Trumpy died at the age of 80, surrounded by family, according to a Cincinnati Bengals spokesperson.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 1 hospitalized after reported shooting on University of Dayton campus; Shelter-in-place lifted
- Man shot by police while running at officer with knife convicted
- 2 local high school athletes win state cross country championships
Trumpy played for the Bengals from 1968 to 1977.
“I’ve known Bob since we started here and he had an extraordinary career as both a player and a broadcaster,” Bengals president Mike Brown said. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get downfield and split zone coverages. Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then and it’s rare now.”
Trumpy was a 12th-round draft pick from the University of Utah in 1968.
The spokesperson said Trumpy quickly became an instrumental piece of the Bengals’ early history, scoring the franchise’s first-ever receiving touchdown on a 58-yard catch on Sept. 15, 1968, against the Denver Broncos at Nippert Stadium
Trumpy had 4600 career receiving yards, 35 career receiving TDs, and 15.4 yards per reception, the spokesperson added.
He was selected for four Pro Bowls, 1968-70, and 1973, which is the most by a tight end in Bengal’s history.
After his time as a Bengal, Trumpy had a distinguished broadcasting career and most notably served as an NFL color analyst for NBC Sports, the spokesperson said.
“As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career that was as successful as what he accomplished on the field. He did it all very well and I regret his passing,” Brown said.
Trumpy called three Olympic Games, three Ryder Cups, and four Super Bowls.
The spokesperson said he was presented the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
