Son of Ex-Bengals QB Addresses Troubled Past While Chasing NFL Dream

Jalen Kitna used to watch his dad sling footballs across the field at Paycor Stadium, or so he’s been told.

Born in 2003, Kitna’s experiences in the city predate any real memories he has of watching his father, Jon, throw touchdown passes to Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the like.

Still, he knows it happened. Which is why Tuesday was special for him as he was one of a few dozen NFL hopefuls taking part in the Bengals local pro day workout.

“Just the Bengals organization, this city, it's a special place to be,” Kitna said. “Being in a lot of different places, you see a lot of different things. Cincinnati is one of those places that truly takes a lot of pride and has a lot of people that are truly invested in the program and organization here. It's pretty cool to be back here.”

The Bengals even set aside the No. 3 jersey for Kitna to wear during the workout.

His dad wore No. 3 for all five of his seasons with the Bengals and the final two years of his career in Dallas.

Oct 5, 2003; Orchard Park, NY, USA; FILE PHOTO; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna (3) in action against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: MPS-Imagn Images | MPS-Imagn Images

Another similarity to their path is that Jalen is expected to pursue his NFL dream as an undrafted free agent.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Kitna ranked as the No. 33 quarterback in the class.

His dad signed with the Seahawks after going undrafted out of Central Washington in 1997 and turned that opportunity into a 14-year career in which he made 124 starts while throwing for 29,745 yards and 169 touchdowns.

“The NFL is somewhere it's truly the most equal opportunity,” Jalen said. “It's a truly competitive league. They find a way to find the best people and who can do it. I'm looking forward to that and whatever opportunity I can get, making the most of it.”

He said he’s been working out with his dad to get ready for the opportunity. “He knows me better than anyone else.”

Jon coached Jalen at Burleson High School in Texas. Jalen originally committed to Boston College before switching to sign with the University of Florida in 2021.

He was released from the team in 2023 following a 2022 arrest on charges of possession child pornography, however in 2023 all charges were dropped after he plead guilty to two counts of breach of peace.

The images were deemed not to be “not accurate” in accordance with child pornography and a forensic investigation to all of his devices found no other in appropriate material.

"What we've got here today is a result that's fair, and the right result," Kitna's attorney Ron Kozlowski told reporters following the plea deal. "Obviously, the state agrees, and we feel good about that. This is going to give Jalen an opportunity to move on to the next step, whatever that is."

His next step was at UAB, where Kitna started the last two seasons, completing 64.4 percent of his passes with 31 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

He turned 23 three weeks ago said how much he appreciated the opportunity to take part in the Bengals local pro day, which is for athletes who played in the region in high school and/or college or who currently live in the area.

Jon Kitna is the head coach at Lakota East High School, and Kitna is living with him preparing for the draft.

Jalen said he’s welcomed the chance to talk about his past with teams who have spoken with him.

“If there's been any questions I got to answer them really tell the truth about what happened,” he said. “I've been thankful to do that. That whole trial was something that I got to grow from and I got to learn a lot from.

“I wouldn't choose it, but I'm super thankful for this whole process that I've got to go through it and talk and relate to people.”

Tuesday’s workout was only about 30-40 minutes, so there wasn’t much time to show of his skills, But Kitna said he felt as though he made the most of the opportunity.

“I wanted them to see me rip it, make all the throws on the field,” he said. “I think there's a big discrepancy between college and the pro level and just being able to make all the throws on the field, put it on the line, and that's what I aim to do.

“I also just want to come out here, have fun, enjoy it, get to kind of be a part of the process and let them see me in that.”

He said his plan for draft weekend is to hang out with his family, grill out, play games, enjoy their company and see how it all plays out.

For players who aren’t drafted, the phones start ringing Saturday evening. If multiple teams are interested, they’ll have a chance to pick which spot is best for them.

“I’m ready for whatever opportunity comes my way,” he said.

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