‘About As Good As It Gets’ — Stats Only a Sliver of Bengals WR Trenton Irwin’s Special Day

There is a picture from last season that the Cincinnati Bengals tweeted showing wide receiver Trenton Irwin hugging his first career game ball with a huge smile on his face.

Sunday in Arizona, Irwin received his second career game ball after a 34-20 win against the Cardinals, and it meant so much more to him than the first one — which still sits on a shelf in his locker — ever could. That’s because after the game, Irwin got to hand it to his father, Craig.

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Trenton Irwin Makes His Father Proud

As an actor who has appeared in shows such as “The Young and the Restless,” “Mad Men,” and “The Mentalist,” — and landed a young Trenton a role in a Velveeta commercial — Craig has the means to travel from California to watch Trenton play. But Trenton also has three younger siblings who play sports on the weekends, so it’s rare for him to attend Bengals games.

But Sunday, the family made the five-hour drive from Los Angeles to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, to see Irwin record a career-high eight catches for a career-high 60 yards.

“It was pretty awesome. I mean, that’s my guy,” Irwin said of his father, whom he speaks with every day, going over all of his plays and as well as all of the struggles that come with being an undrafted college free agent trying to make it on a team with one of the best wide receiver groups in the league.

The Stanford graduate joined the Bengals midway through the 2019 season, but he’s appeared in just 22 games. Sunday was only his third career start due to teammate Tee Higgins being out with a rib injury.

Higgins’ Big Shoes To Fill

“We’ve been fighting the whole journey of practice squad, inactive, practice squad, cut, whatever may have it,” Irwin said. “It was pretty cool to have him there. They drove the five hours or whatever it was to get there and be in the stands to watch the game.”

While Irwin knew he was going to get the start due to Higgins’ injury, the same wasn’t true the last time he stepped in for an injured teammate and had a huge game. That was Christmas eve last year when Tyler Boyd suffered a finger injury early in the Week 15 game at New England.

Irwin came in and caught three passes for 45 yards and two touchdowns, with a third score falling just out of his reach.

That big day came with Irwin playing mostly in the slot. Sunday he was featured in Higgins’ role as an outside receiver.

“Our three starters can play all three positions, but it’s extremely critical that our backups are able to do that because you never know which guy may go down or need a breather, and you have to be able to step up and do it,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “You’ve got to know the concept, not so much the position. So guys like Trenton Irwin that can excel in that kind of stuff.”

Taylor pointed out that Irwin has never worked either of the team’s flea flickers they’ve run the last two seasons, yet he caught the one for a 45-yard touchdown against the Browns in Week 14 last year.

🎥 FLEA FLICKER ! @JoeyB trouve Trenton Irwin TOUT SEUL pour un long Touchdown ! #RuleTheJungle

💻 @beinsports_FR 4 #NFLextra
📲 NFL GamePass pic.twitter.com/5adUY8kS7F

— NFL France (@NFLFrance) December 11, 2022

And Sunday’s attempt fell just beyond his fingertips, otherwise his career day could have been even huger.

MORE: Week 5 Winners and Losers

“That just speaks to the trust. Get Trenton in there,” Taylor said. “We know he knows how to do it. There’s trust the coaches have in him, there’s trust his teammates have in him, there’s trust Joe has in him to be in the right spot, make the play. Same goes for all the guys that were on the field yesterday. It’s because we trust them, and Trenton is a guy that fits that mold to a T.”

Irwin also has taken over as the team’s punt returner with rookie Charlie Jones on injured reserve with a thumb injury. Sunday in Arizona, with his dad watching, Irwin had a career-long 28-yard return followed by a 21-yarder.

“I would’ve liked to get loose on that 28 one,” Irwin said. “I thought there was a little more meat on the bone there. A guy came in late. But that’s how it is.”

It all played a role in Irwin getting another game ball.

A good night = a lot of game balls 👏

Locker Room Celly | @KetteringHealth pic.twitter.com/Akb6Hc7eAK

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 9, 2023

With just five punt returns this season, Irwin is one punt return shy of counting among the league leaders.

But among those with at least five returns, his 14.0-yard average is fifth-best in the league. Jones is first at 18.8.

More Than Just a Special-Teams Asset

“My job is to be ready when the opportunity comes, and I feel like I have been,” Irwin said. “Hopefully when it comes more, I’ll be ready as well.”

While Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase was setting team and league records with 15 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns, the television cameras caught him handing two of his touchdown balls to his father, Jimmy, in the stands.

MORE: Ja’Marr Chase Made It Look Easy on Sunday

Irwin’s handoff happened in the friends and family section in a tunnel under the stadium with only a couple of cell phone cameras around. But it was every bit as special, if not more so, due to how rare his big games are and rarer yet are the chances for his father to see them live.

“It was pretty cool,” he said. “That’s about as good as it gets.”