Cincinnati Bengals Tight End Cleared for AFC Championship

The Cincinnati Bengals should have their top tight end in the fold when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. Head coach Zac Taylor declared Hayden Hurst ready to go for Sunday's game.

Zac says Hurst is good to go. Great practice today.

Hurst said it was just a little tweak yesterday. Precautionary.
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 27, 2023

Hurst was arguably the Bengals' most valuable receiver in their Divisional Round matchup with the Bills, nabbing five of his six targets for 59 yards and one touchdown. He also hauled in four receptions for 45 yards in the Wildcard Round against the Baltimore Ravens. He totalled 52 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns over 13 regular season starts this season.

Hurst joined the Bengals ahead of this season after two years with the Atlanta Falcons. He initially entered the league as the Baltimore Ravens' 25th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has enjoyed modest success as an underneath target over his career, averaging 24.5 receiving yards per game and 6.9 yards per target. That being said, he's proving very effective this postseason with 52.0 receiving yards per game and 8.7 yards per target. He'll be a useful option for the Bengals on Sunday.