CINCINNATI — A few days after the Cincinnati Bengals released quarterback AJ McCarron so he could sign with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League, another former draft pick has signed to play in the Canadian Football League.
Former wide receiver Auden Tate, whom the Bengals drafted in the seventh round of Marvin Lewis’ final draft class in 2018, has signed with the Calgary Stampeders.
Former Bengals WR Signs With CFL Team
The 6-foot-5 Tate caught 61 passes for 799 yards and two touchdowns in his four seasons in Cincinnati.
His large frame, massive wingspan, strong hands, and penchant for acrobatic catches made him an instant fan favorite.
Tate’s best year coincided with the arrival of head coach Zac Taylor — and the season-ending injury to star receiver A.J. Green in the first practice of training camp — in 2019. Tate caught 40 passes for 575 yards and a touchdown that season.
We've signed former @NFL receiver Auden Tate ✍️
Welcome to Calgary, @lil_t8te!@sentinelstorage | #TogetherWeRide🐎
— Calgary Stampeders (@calstampeders) February 16, 2024
Tate’s first career touchdown reception came in that 2019 season when Andy Dalton hit him for a two-yard score in a 26-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals that dropped the Bengals to 0-5.
The only other touchdown of his career came in a blowout win at Detroit in 2021, a seven-yarder from Joe Burrow.
The touchdown was one of three receptions he had in 2021 while playing in just four games.
He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in March 2022, but he was released during training camp. In November 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Tate to their practice squad, but they released him two weeks later.
Last winter, the Arizona Cardinals signed Tate, but they cut at the conclusion of minicamp in June.
Thirty years ago, another Bengals wide receiver left the NFL for the CFL and went on to have a massive career. Milt Stegall, a Cincinnati native who played collegiately at Miami University, joined the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 1992.
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Stegall has four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in his three seasons in Cincinnati, with most of his action coming as a kickoff returner. He went on to play 12 years in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
By the time he retired, Stegall held numerous CFL records, including most career receiving yards, most total touchdowns, and most receiving touchdowns. In 2012, Stegall was elected into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He has been one of the leading television analysts on CFL broadcasts since 2009.
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