Jon Kitna shares story of drunk Bengals player in huddle

The Bengals have always been a messy franchise, but this story adds a whole new layer to their dysfunction.

Former Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna, who made 46 starts for the team from 2001 to 2005, went on the Ryen Russillo podcast this week and shared a shocking story from his early playing days.

“There was a time that I played a game with a guy that was drunk in the huddle,” Kitna said.

The player allegedly showed up less than an hour before the game, well after players are supposed to show up, and still ended up starting in the game.

Kitna didn’t reveal who the player was, but did mention that he had quite the game while intoxicated and indicated it was likely a receiver.

“I’m not sure if the staff new, but I think that was kind of his normal. I mean, he was drunk and had close to 200 yards receiving,” Kitna said.

Kitna went on to start 45 more games over five seasons after leaving the Bengals. He spent three years with the Lions during their dysfunctional period in the late 2000s – starting four games in their 0-16 season in 2008 – then joined the Cowboys for two seasons.