The man his teammates call "The General," had the rank of captain restored Monday when the Bengals voted safety Vonn Bell as one of the eight players wearing the 'C,' on their jerseys this season.
Bell, who served as captain for two Bengals' teams that won the AFC North before he spent last year in Carolina, is one of five new captains heading into Sunday's opener (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) against the Patriots at Paycor Stadium.
Veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt joins Bell as a defensive captain. Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. comes from the offense while kicker Evan McPherson and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither represent special teams.
Left end Sam Hubbard, who has played in more Bengals games than anyone on the roster with 90, returns as a captain from the defense. Quarterback Joe Burrow and center Ted Karras were re-elected on offense.
Bell's appointment surprised exactly no one because they re-signed him for his leadership and shoring up communication in the secondary. He wasted no time making his impact in the spring with a group of players new to him that includes starting safety Geno Stone, sophomore backup Jordan Battle and second-year cornerbacks Dax Hill and DJ Turner.
"I see the way he moves, the way he communicates in practice. I'm trying to do something similar. See things in him that I can grow into," said Battle after his pick-six in last month's preseason finale. "Every day you go out to practice and you see him talking to the linebackers, the DBs, even D-linemen. That helps me when I go out there on the field.
"Guys know what to expect in certain situations with certain personnel and he's been a big help in the meeting rooms. Even stopping the coaches in mid- conversation."
Pratt, known for racking up crucial turnovers as he heads into his sixth year, got the nod after a season he had an interception in San Francisco and forced a fumble against Buffalo on red-zone plays that came in the second half of back-to-back wins.
McPherson, the Bengals' all-time postseason scoring leader has also emerged as one of the team's biggest clutch performers. He comes into his fourth season with a club-record 21 field goals of at least 50 yards, which are the most by any NFL kicker in his first three seasons.
During the Bengals' 2021 run to the Super Bowl, McPherson's walkoff kicks delivered wins to clinch the AFC North and AFC championships, as well as an AFC Divisional win. He has made all 19 of his field-goal attempts in the postseason, second on the all-time list to begin a career.
Davis-Gaither, a fifth-year linebacker, is the most experienced special teams player in coordinator Darrin Simmons' scheme. Playing in a variety of positions, Davis-Gaither has logged more than 1,000 snaps in the kicking game. He also backs up the punt team's quarterback in the role of personal punt protector.
Last year in his Bengals' debut, Brown Jr. immediately became a locker-room leader with his Super Bowl ring earned in Kansas City and his four Pro Bowls while with the Chiefs and Ravens. Karras, who came over from the Patriots in 2022, has always been a captain since he arrived here. So has Burrow, who got the call as a rookie in 2020.
