Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Andrew Whitworth on the Prime Thursday Night Football set during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Andrew Whitworth Highlights Biggest Reason Bengals Haven't Secured Super Bowl Title With Joe Burrow

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Mar 31, 2026 7:55 AM ET

The Enquirer's Kelsey Conway posted an extended Q&A with former Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth this week as the 2026 offseason rolls on.

Whitworth played for the Bengals from 2006-17 and knows firsthand how frustrating the organization's operating mentality can be. He dove into drafting inconsistencies being the biggest reason they've never gotten over the Super Bowl hump.

“I think for them, health has been a factor. Obviously, you can’t change a lot of that,” he said to Conway. “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. And when you don’t, the whole entire team suffers, and it’s been a problem.”

Whitworth Keeps It Real

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Whitworth dove in further on a small-town franchise that always tries to keep its salary cap powder dry.

They are one of the very few potential contenders this coming season that haven't restructured one of their big-money deals for more salary-cap resources during the offseason.

“You want to make moves that are significant,” Whitworth continued. “Everyone in the building is like, it’s go time. That, to me, is what I’m looking for. My point is that now here you are in another window where you’ve got some young talent on the team, don’t let it go by and not shoot your shot. Shooting your shot is paying guys who have been there and have proven that they have earned money. Shooting your shot is like, this is something that seems a little risky, and we’re putting ourselves out there, but it’s what we think gets us over the hump.”

It's a similar sentiment that Whitworth's echoed for years since retiring from the NFL and joining Amazon's Thursday Night Football team.

Cincinnati is set up to draft its best overall class of the decade with top-10 picks in five of the first six rounds and eight picks overall.

Finding 3-5 eventual starters from April 23-25 is imperative for the team's title chances the rest of this decade. Check out the full conversation between Conway and Whitworth here.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Bengals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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