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Bengals vs. Titans: Players, coaches and college teammate connections

We take a look at a few connections between players, coaches, staff and even geography between the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans.

By Josh Kirkendall
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

FORMER TITANS, NOW BENGALS

  • Cornerback Adam Jones was selected by Tennessee with the sixth-overall selection in the 2005 NFL draft -- he lasted two seasons before troubling off-the-field conduct forced Tennessee to move on.
  • Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke spent five seasons ('04-08) on the Titans coaching staff as an administrative assistant and defensive assistant.
BENGALS WITH TENNESSEE-AREA CONNECTION
  • Cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris played at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
  • Defensive line coach Jay Hayes played defensive end and linebacker for the Memphis Showboats (USFL) in '85.

FORMER BENGALS, NOW TITANS

  • Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 1983 NFL draft. He spent six seasons and 89 games with the Bengals, accumulating 14 interceptions. Horton became the Bengals defensive backs coach ('97-00) and safeties coach ('01).
  • Titans defensive backs coach, Louie Cioffi spent 14 seasons with the Bengals, coaching six years ('97-'02) as a defensive assistant and eight years ('03-'10) as an assistant defensive backs coach.
  • Linebacker Dontay Moch (on the Titans practice squad) was drafted by the Bengals in the third-round of the 2011 NFL draft.
TITANS WITH CINCINNATI-AREA (and Ohio) CONNECTIONS
  • Linebacker Wesley Woodyard played at Kentucky.
  • Titans OT Byron Stingily played at Louisville.
  • Assistant Cannon Matthews is from Bedford Heights, Ohio and attended Ohio University.
  • Offensive coordinator Jason Michael was born in Portsmouth, Ohio.
  • Michael also played at Western Kentucky.
  • Running back Bishop Sankey is from Wadsworth, Ohio.
  • Wide receiver Nate Washington attended Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio. He went on to become Tiffin University's all-time receiver in receptions (212), yards receiving (4,214) and touchdowns (47).
  • Punter Brett Kern played 47 games at the University of Toledo.
  • Assistant video director Craig Petterson spent '05 and '06 with the Bengals as a video assistant.
  • Media relations assistant Jared Puffer attended Ohio University.
  • Titans assistant secondary coach Steve Brown coached at Kentucky ('03-'11).
  • Titans quality control coordinator Cannon Matthews attended Ohio University and coached Kentucky Christian ('12).
NOTABLE COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
  • Bengals QB A.J. McCarron and OG Chance Warmack played together at Alabama.
  • Titans center Brian Schwenke and wide receiver Marvin Jones played together at California.
  • Bengals running back Jeremy Hill and wide receiver James Wright played with Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger at LSU.
  • Bengals DT Brandon Thompson and Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh were teammates at Clemson.
  • Bengals running back Rex Burkhead and Titans safety Daimion Stafford were teammates at Nebraska.
  • Titans linebacker Zach Brown was teammates with Bengals center Russell Bodine and running back Giovani Bernard at North Carolina.
  • Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still and Titans defensive lineman DaQuan Jones were teammates at Penn State.
  • Titans cornerback Jason McCourty and Bengals long-snapper Clark Harris played at Rutgers together.
  • Bengals safety Taylor Mays played at USC with Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey.
  • Bengals defensive end Margus Hunt and Titans tight end Taylor Thompson at Southern Methodist.
COACHING CONNECTIONS
  • Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt and Bengals coach Marvin Lewis were on the same Baltimore Ravens staff in '97 and '98. Whisenhunt was the team's tight ends coach and Lewis was the defensive coordinator.
  • Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke and Titans receivers coach Shawn Jefferson were on the same Detroit Lions staff.
  • Bengals defensive backs coach Mark Carrier and Titans defensive backs coach Cioffi worked together with the New York Jets.
  • Whisenhunt, Mike Mularkey and Lou Spanos worked with Bengals defensive lineman coach Jay Hayes on the same Pittsburgh Steelers staff.
  • Titans offensive coordinator Jason Michael worked with Bengals assistant defensive backs coach Vance Joseph in San Francisco.

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