Aug 3, 2018; Canton, OH, USA; Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers former receiver Randy Moss reacts after receiving gold jacket during the Enshrinee's gold jacket dinner at the Canton Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why The Bengals Passed On Randy Moss Twice In 1998 NFL Draft

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Mar 26, 2026 9:39 AM ET

The Bengals could've drafted the second-greatest receiver in NFL history at the end of the last century, but opted to pick two linebackers over Randy Moss instead.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman got the scoop from former Bengals wide receivers coach John Garrett, who had a firsthand account of that 1998 NFL Draft.

"We had two first-round picks, 13 and 17. We were gonna go defense, and there were some good players. (We drafted a linebacker ) Takeo Spikes," Garrett said in the story. "Then, we get to pick 15, 16. It’s the elephant in the room. I remember going, 'Are we gonna pass on him?' It was literally, 'John, sit down. We’re taking the linebacker.' It was decided ahead of time. We already had a couple of good receivers in Darnay Scott and Carl Pickens. The need just wasn’t there. We took Brian Simmons, who was fantastic. Randy went to a place where he fit perfectly."

Missed Opportunity

Harrison Barden-Imagn Images

Yes.

You read that correctly.

The Bengals passed on a Hall of Famer to double dip at one of the least valuable positions in the NFL (although more valuable in 1998 than in 2026) with Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons. Moss went to Minnesota at Pick 21, a few minutes after the Bengals' selections.

That's a rough pill to swallow for Bengals fans. Only Jerry Rice (arguably the greatest player to ever touch a football field) has a stronger case than Moss as the clear No. 1 and No. 2 wide receivers in league history.

Moss set the current single-season receiving touchdown record in 2007 with 23 scores by way of Tom Brady and that elite Patriots offense.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Moss donned first-team All-Pro honors four times and was named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s. The livewire-playmaker finished his career with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns. At the time of his retirement, he ranked third all-time in receiving yards and second all-time in touchdown receptions.

Hindsight is 20/20 in Cincinnati, after passing on him twice.

Check out the full article from Feldman here, as Cincinnati hopes Ja'Marr Chase ends up making a legacy case as strong as Moss's down the line.

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

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