Former Bengals linebacker reportedly joining college staff of former assistant coach

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A former Bengals linebacker is reportedly joining the college coaching staff of a former Bengals assistant coach.

According to TheAthletic.com, Vontaze Burfict has been hired to serve as an analyst at UNLV under interim defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.

Burfict played with the Bengals from 2012-18. Guenther coached with the Bengals from 2005-18, and served as linebackers coach in 2012 and 2013 and then defensive coordinator from 2014-18.

Guenther was hired as Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator in 2019, and Burfict played for him briefly that season, but was suspended 12 games after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Colts tight end Jack Doyle in the Raiders’ fourth game of the season. Burfict never played in the NFL again.

Burfict piled up numerous fines for late hits and repeated violations of player safety totaling $5.3 million, according to Spotrac.com.