Dax Hill Explains 'TNT' Mantra Bengals Secondary Adopted During 2026 Offseason

Cincinnati has a new secondary hierarchy heading into the 2026 season.

Nov 12, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals safety Dax Hill (23) runs onto the field before the game against the Houston Texans at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Bengals cornerback Dax Hill is diving into family time during his few weeks away from the facility ahead of training camp next month.

Local 12's Yanni Tragellis caught up with the starting CB during Minicamp last week before he left to handle some things that are tougher to pay attention to in the midst of an NFL season.

Time To Build Up

Bengals Dax Hill (23) celebrates a play during their game against the Steelers on Sunday November 16, 2025 at Acrisure Stadium. | Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The fifth-year player is entering a contract season and could get a contract extension before Week 1.

"Relaxing, getting ready for the season, spending time with friends, family. Since I don't really have a whole lot of time to do that during the season," Hill noted. "Obviously, it's narrowed down a lot more during the season, but right now, I'm hanging out with people that I love. Just taking some time to myself before it starts to ramp up."

Hill has felt the burgeoning excitement surrounding the whole team, especially in the new-look secondary.

"A lot of excitement, whenever you get two new guys in, it just brings a different type of energy," Hill said to Tragellis. "We got two new rookies doing well right now, and sky's the limit for them coming in, making plays. And the guys that's been here, I feel like have more proof, more to get better on, and just creating a narrative that we can be a shutdown defense, and that's what this time is for, OTAs, offseason training, and this time right now leading up to training camp, so a lot is ahead, but I feel like we're ready for it, and the time is now to prepare and get ready for that moment."

A new mantra has taken hold in that backend room: TNT (Takes No Talent).

Hill explained what it's all about after tying a career high with 11 pass breakups last season and earning his third career interception.

"Just doing the things that really take no talent," Hill said about the mentality. "That's the model that we kind of have. TNT takes no talent and really just have that approach throughout the entire offseason and training camp. I feel like once you really kind of just microscope that, it'll kind of slow down. Obviously, the season's hectic, but I'm just going back to the fundamentals. I think that's the most important thing."

The 25-year-old seems to be locked in ahead of arguably the most important professional stretch of his life so far.

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