Bob Trumpy, known for transforming the tight end position during his ten-year tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals and later as a prominent football broadcaster, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the age of 80. While the cause of death was not disclosed, a friend and colleague mentioned he had suffered a recent heart attack.
Trumpy, originally from Illinois, was one of the first Bengals when the franchise entered the American Football League in 1968. He was picked in the 12th round of the combined NFL-AFL draft. On September 15, 1968, during Cincinnati’s inaugural franchise victory, a 24-10 win over the Denver Broncos at Nippert Stadium, Trumpy caught four passes for 114 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Stofa, marking the franchise’s first receiving touchdown.
Bengals president Mike Brown, who has been familiar with Trumpy since the team’s early days, lauded his dual career achievements. “He was an exceptional and rare tight end who could get downfield and split zone coverages,” Brown stated Sunday. “Speed was his hallmark. He was as fast as any wide receiver and was a deep threat. That was rare for a tight end then, and it’s rare now.”
Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 228 pounds, Trumpy had the speed and agility typical of a wide receiver, but with the build of a tight end. Under the guidance of Bengals wide receivers coach Bill Walsh, who later led the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl victories, Trumpy became a significant challenge for defensive players. Walsh utilized Trumpy’s unique abilities by placing him in various positions on the field, an innovative strategy that influenced offensive play for years to come.
Trumpy’s career impact was immediate and durable, resulting in four all-star selections: AFL All-Star in 1968 and 1969, and NFL Pro Bowl in 1970 and 1973. In 1969, he was named first-team All-Pro with 37 receptions for 835 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the team in scoring receptions. Over his career from 1968 to 1977, he amassed 298 receptions for 4,600 yards and 35 touchdowns. His average of 15.4 yards per reception remains the highest for any tight end in the franchise’s history.
Before relocating to Springfield, Illinois, during high school, Trumpy was raised on a farm near Tremont, Illinois. At Springfield High School, he excelled in multiple sports, helping the basketball team reach the state tournament in 1961 and 1962. He won gold in the long jump and tied for fifth in the high jump at the 1963 state track and field meet. His mother reportedly encouraged him to play football due to his inactivity at home.
After completing high school in 1963, Trumpy played one season at the University of Illinois in 1964, alongside future Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. He led the team with 28 receptions for 428 yards and two touchdowns. Following hand surgery and service in the Navy during the Vietnam War, he transferred to the University of Utah in 1966 before being drafted by Cincinnati.
Trumpy’s broadcasting career started even before he retired from playing. His “Sports Talk” radio program on Cincinnati’s WLW-AM became a regional favorite, and the station’s general manager credited Trumpy with keeping the station on the air for a decade. Brown acknowledged the show’s influence and noted Trumpy played a role in launching the broadcasting careers of former Bengals Dave Lapham and Cris Collinsworth, who later became well-known broadcasters, with Collinsworth serving as the voice of Sunday Night Football.
During a Sunday Night Football broadcast on NBC, Collinsworth reflected on Trumpy’s influence, noting that Trumpy significantly contributed to securing his broadcasting position in Cincinnati. Collinsworth described Trumpy as having a resonant laugh that made those around him feel humorous and called him a true legend in the city.
From 1978 to 1997, Trumpy worked as an NFL analyst for NBC, and later joined Westwood One Radio as an analyst from 2000 to 2007. His distinctive baritone voice, which producer Bill Dennison described as “the voice of God,” became familiar to audiences as he covered four Super Bowls and three Olympics. He also provided coverage for golf events, including three Ryder Cups. He cherished a moment at the 1993 Ryder Cup at The Belfry in England when he was on the 15th fairway with American Raymond Floyd and heard the prolonged cheering from the par-3 14th hole, signaling Nick Faldo’s hole-in-one.
In 2014, Trumpy was awarded the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, honoring his long-standing contributions to radio and television in professional football. Upon receiving the award, he credited his early radio work for instilling in him a sense of responsibility and preparation, values that guided his four-decade broadcasting career.
In his statement, Brown highlighted Trumpy’s success in various fields. “As a broadcaster, he made his mark both locally and nationally, and excelled at sports other than football in a career that was as successful as what he accomplished on the field,” he said. “He did it all very well, and I regret his passing.”
