With the NFL free agency just days away, the Cincinnati Bengals secured a deal to sign a vital cog in their offense after confirming the return of guard Dalton Risner. The Bengals, for the first time in quarterback icon Joe Burrow’s career, have secured their O-line before the start of free agency. However, this massive development wasn’t reported by insiders like Adam Schefter or Ian Rapoport. Rather, it was Dalton Risner’s wife, Whitney Risner, donning the reporter cap to break the news.

“I’m not really supposed to tell anybody this, but I’ve got some inside information, and I just feel like you guys can keep a secret. Per sources, Dalton Risner is signing back to the Cincinnati Bengals, and sources are me, baby,” Whitney Risner said in a video on Instagram that included the caption, “I’m feeling like Adam Schefter right now.”

As confirmed by Whitney Risner, the Bengals retained one of their best offensive linemen after signing on a one-year, $5 million deal (per ESPN). However, this update on his new contract wasn’t all, as Whitney Risner then conducted a “private press conference” with Dalton before the official announcement of his return to the Cincinnati Bengals.

She shared a video on her Instagram from the Bengals’ press room, where she asked Dalton Risner a series of fun questions about their relationship. The Instagram reel had a caption that said, “Gotta ask the hard questions.”

These videos are just a glimpse into the loving relationship shared by Whitney and Dalton Risner. The couple got married in 2022, but have been together since their college days. Dalton played football at Kansas State, and Whitney was on the basketball team at Fort Hays State in Kansas. But they didn’t start seeing each other until 2019 and have been together since.

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While Whitney’s announcement went viral on social media, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor had a different perspective on the signing. When discussing Risner’s return, Taylor revealed just how crucial this moment is for the franchise and Joe Burrow’s future.

Taylor highlights Dalton Risner’s importance after his extension

Re-signing Dalton Risner shows the urgency of the Bengals organization for the 2026 season, given their struggles to make the playoffs in the past three years. Hence, speaking about the veteran guard’s return, head coach Zac Taylor spoke about why this deal was necessary for the franchise.

“He’s a critical part of our offensive line,” Head coach Zac Taylor said. “A guy that showed up a week before the season started for the first game, played over half of that game, and continued to play at a high level all season for us to give us a ton of confidence in our offensive line play. Dalton not only has a high talent level but a wealth of experience.”

As highlighted by Taylor, Dalton Risner has been a game-changer for the Bengals in the 2025 season. Risner started nine of his 14 appearances, including the final seven games, where Cincinnati ranked 23rd in overall pass block win rate, an improvement from 29th in the first 11 weeks of the season. Furthermore, Risner finished the year with the 36th rank in pass block win rate as a guard at 92.6%, the highest mark for any Bengals player since Zac Taylor became head coach before the 2019 season.

These numbers reiterate the trust shown by Taylor and the Bengals’ front office in Dalton Risner, and now Cincinnati supporters will hope the franchise can continue making such deals and make a firm push for the Super Bowl.