Celebrating Bengals TE Drew Sample’s 100th Game and 5 Memorable TDs

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample will reach a milestone Sunday when he appears in his 100th game.

“Halfway to Huber,” Sample quipped earlier this week, referring to former punter Kevin Huber’s franchise record of 216.

A 2019 second-round pick, Sample will become the 82nd player in franchise history to hit the 100-game mark, tying Pacman Jones and David Fulcher at exactly 100.

Consistency Praised as Bengals TE Drew Sample Nears Milestone

The longest tenured Bengals, Sample was the second draft pick in Zac Taylor’s tenure as head coach. Wednesday, Taylor spent some time reflecting on what he has appreciated most about Sample in his eight seasons.

“Consistency. Dependability,” Taylor said. “His first combine interview with us was a 10 out of 10. You could really see what kind of person you were getting in the room. Especially early on, we wanted to build it with really smart guys that could do a lot of different things for you, and Drew has held up that part of it.

“Consistent special teams player for us over all eight years,” Taylor continued. “He’s played a really valuable role for us on offense. If you just look at the percentage of snaps he’s taken over the years it’s a high, high amount. He’s done a lot of different jobs for us whether it is play tight end, play running back, been a focal point on the punt team over eight years.”

Sample has played 1,095 special teams snaps. Since the the NFL started tracking snap counts in 2013, that ranks eighth among Bengals players behind Shawn Williams (1,673), Clayton Fejedelem (1,454), Vincent Rey (1,394), Kevin Huber (1,370), Akeem Davis-Gaither (1,341), Clark Harris (1,295) and Jordan Evans (1,182).

Offensively, Sample’s statistics are sparse, with 119 receptions for 855 yards and five touchdowns.

The longest reception of Sample’s career came last year in Miami, a 27-yarder.

His longest touchdown was a 22-yarder against Buffalo on Sunday Night Football in 2023, which Taylor referenced in an impressive display of recall after being asked about Sample.

“You look back over 100 games, his touchdown receptions, there’s the story for you,” Taylor said. “What have his touchdown receptions been? None of them we ever thought we would score a touchdown on.

“One was against Buffalo in a seven-man protection where he leaked out and scored on a Sunday night,” Taylor added.

Drew Sample was +1200 to score a touchdown tonight 👀pic.twitter.com/rw00TTK0RR
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) November 6, 2023

That pass from Joe Burrow, who has only thrown two of Sample’s five touchdowns.

Burrow referenced that Buffalo play as well during his Wednesday news conference.

“He was in the protection, a full slide seven-man protection and catching the ball somehow on a scramble drill,” Burrow said. “I think that’s really a microcosm of the evolution of Drew. That’s what we’re going to ask him to do, and everybody knows it. We’re going to put him in to be really good in protection, but when things break down, I think he’s gotten so much better at the second part of a play, understanding spaces and where I’m expecting guys to be in those scramble drills and making himself available.”

Sample’s first career touchdown came in 2020 at Houston, on a pass from Brandon Allen.

“His first one was on lizard against Houston in 2020,” Taylor said. “I think that was the last time we ever ran that play, he ran a flat route for a touchdown. There is your story, 100 games, all the different ways he’s touched the ball for us in the passing game.”

Sample’s most recent score came in last year’s blowout loss at Minnesota, on a pass from Jake Browning.

“One when he was in full-time protection, in 58 protection, home game (against the Raiders),” Taylor said.

What a tremendous touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Drew Sample.

It’s the 3rd of the day for Burrow and 1st of the season for Sample.

Burrow has been tremendous today playing outside of the pocket and making the most of what the Raiders allow. pic.twitter.com/i9FyooOe9o
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) November 3, 2024

The other was in 2023, a home loss to the Steelers.

JAKE FIESTY TO DREW SAMPLE FOR THE TOUCHDOWN 🔥 #WHODEY pic.twitter.com/5PeMP4hcnl
— Cincinnati 💔 (@CincyProblems) November 26, 2023

“You can count on him, man,” Burrow said. “As reliable as it gets. He’s going to understand his job as well as everybody else’s job and will work to coordinate and try to get everybody on the same page. He’s a very valuable piece for us.”

Here is the full list of 81 players who have played 100 games for the Bengals:

Kevin Huber, 216

Ken Riley, 207

Reggie Williams, 206

Clark Harris, 202

Ken Anderson, 192

Tim Krumrie, 188

Anthony Munoz, 185

Jim Breech, 181

Willie Anderson, 181

Bruce Kozerski, 172

Domata Peko Sr., 171

Eddie Edwards, 170

Lee Johnson, 169

Andrew Whitworth, 168

Isaac Curtis, 167

Joe Walter, 166

Rodney Holman, 165

Geno Atkins, 161

Glenn Cameron, 159

Jim LeClair, 158

Max Montoya, 157

Carlos Dunlap, 155

Bob Johnson, 154

Robert Geathers, 152

Chad Johnson, 151

Pat McInally, 149

Rich Braham, 146

Brad St. Louis, 144

Michael Johnson, 141

Dave Lapham, 140

Tony McGee, 136

Louis Breeden, 134

Boomer Esiason, 134

Andy Dalton, 133

James Francis, 133

Vincent Rey, 128

Bob Trumpy, 128

A.J. Green, 127

Ross Browner, 127

Brian Simmons, 122

Leo Barker, 122

Leon Hall, 121

Tim McGee, 121

Tyler Boyd, 120

Carl Pickens, 120

Shawn Williams, 119

Vern Holland, 119

Bobbie Williams, 118

James Brooks, 118

Giovani Bernard, 115

Rey Maualuga, 114

Mike Wilson, 114

Steve Kreider, 114

Howard Fest, 112

Clint Boling, 111

Justin Smith, 111

Al Beauchamp, 111

Doug Pelfrey, 111

Rufus Mayes, 110

Shayne Graham, 110

Darnay Scott, 109

Bruce Reimers, 108

Corey Dillon, 107

Cris Collinsworth, 107

John Copeland, 107

Stanford Jennings, 107

Reggie Kelly, 106

Carl Zander, 106

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 105

Lemar Parrish, 105

Gary Burley, 105

Sam Hubbard, 104

Andre Smith, 104

Barney Bussey, 104

Bo Harris, 103

Tom Dinkel, 102

Charles Alexander, 102

Eddie Brown, 102

Bruce Coslet, 101

Adam Jones, 100

David Fulcher, 100

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