James Casey is in his sixth season in Cincinnati, and sixth as an NFL coach. He joined the Bengals as tight ends coach prior to the 2019 season.
In 2023, Casey worked with a versatile tight ends room that saw four players start at least one game. Fourth-year pro Tanner Hudson, who began the year on the team's practice squad, emerged as a dependable pass-catching option in the second half of the season and led the position group in receptions (39) and receiving yards (352). Casey also helped Drew Sample return from a season-ending injury the previous year and start 10 games. Sample posted his most catches (22) and yards (163) since 2020, while continuing to serve as the team's top blocking tight end.
In 2022, Casey coached offseason free agent signee Hayden Hurst, who in his lone season with Cincinnati caught 52 passes — the most by a Bengals TE since 2015 — despite missing three games. Stepping into the starting lineup when Hurst was out was TE Mitchell Wilcox, who set career highs in receptions (17) and receiving yards (139).
In 2021, Casey helped TE C.J. Uzomah log career highs in catches (49), receiving yards (493) and receiving TDs (five), ranking in the top 10 among AFC tight ends in each category. Uzomah went on to net 146 receiving yards in the postseason as Cincinnati advanced to Super Bowl LVI.
In 2020, Casey oversaw Sample's transition into a more prominent role after Uzomah suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. Sample totaled career highs in receptions (40) and receiving yards (349).
In 2019, Casey's first season in Cincinnati, the Bengals' tight ends accounted for a third of the team's receiving TDs (six of 18). The group also contributed to pass protection, helping Cincinnati allow 10 fewer sacks in the second half of the season compared to the first.
Prior to joining the Bengals, Casey spent three years (2016-18) on the University of Houston coaching staff. In 2018, he served as special teams coordinator/tight ends coach, and helped the Cougars' offense rank fourth nationally in scoring (46.4 points per game) and sixth in total offense (528.6 yards per game).
In 2017, Casey played a key role in the emergence of TE Romello Brooker, who entered the year with just nine career receptions but went on to net 29 catches for 364 yards and six TDs (led American Athletic Conference).
In 2016, Casey's first coaching season after a seven-year ('09-15) NFL playing career, he served as an offensive analyst at Houston and helped the Cougars rank 15th nationally in passing offense (310.9 yards per game). Houston also ranked 21st in scoring (38.0 points) and topped the 30-point park in 11 of 12 regular-season games.
A tight end/fullback during his playing career, Casey originally was a fifth-round draft pick of the Texans in 2009, and spent four seasons ('09-12) with Houston before later stints with the Philadelphia Eagles ('13-14) and Denver Broncos ('15).
Casey played collegiately at Rice University in Houston, where he had a record-setting career as a tight end in just two seasons (2007-08). He left the program with school records for receptions in a season, receiving yards in a season and receiving yards in a game. He earned Freshman All-America honors in 2007, and first-team All-Conference USA and Academic All-America recognition in 2008. He was named the 2008 recipient of Rice's James W. Glanville Award, presented to the player who has achieved excellence in athletics, academics and integrity.
Prior to his time at Rice, Casey was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the seventh round of the 2003 MLB Draft. He spent three seasons with the White Sox organization as a pitcher, before enrolling at Rice and pursuing football.
Casey was born on Sept. 22, 1984, in Fort Worth, Texas, and was raised in nearby Azle, Texas. He attended Azle High School, where he was a standout quarterback on the football team and pitcher on the baseball team.
Casey and his wife, Kylie, have two sons, Cannon and Knox.
Playing and coaching history: 2007-08—Played TE at Rice. 2009-12—Played TE with Houston Texans. 2013-14—Played TE with Philadelphia Eagles. 2015—Played TE with Denver Broncos. 2016-18—Assistant coach (AC), University of Houston. 2019-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
