This time of year is always a little terrifying for NFL players who might be right on the edge of a roster spot. Cuts are brutal and unforgiving. But for former Penn State star Mitchell Tinsley , the news this time around was exceedingly positive.
Tinsely made the 53-man roster for the Cincinnati Bengals, having spent the past two seasons with the Washington Commanders. He was informed in a phone call by assistant coach Troy Walters .
“I just want to personally congratulate you on making this team, man,” Walters said on a FaceTime call. “Hey, you’ve balled out at every phase of this journey, Phase 2, Phase 3, OTAs, minicamp, then we come back for training camp and the preseason. So I just want to personally congratulate you and let you know that you’ve earned the trust and the respect to be a valuable contributor to this team this year.”
Mitchell Tinsley immediately piped in, happy to have made the squad. A lot of hard work went into it.
“I appreciate you, coach,” Tinsley said. “I appreciate y’all giving me the opportunity to go out there and do what I do and y’all putting me in positions to be successful.”
You can view the complete call with the Bengals assistant coach below. It’s heartwarming, if for no other reason than because Mitchell Tinsley is clearly still hungry to grow.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing and good things are going to happen.” pic.twitter.com/FUgqiKfDMs
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 26, 2025
“But it’s because of you, man,” Walters told Tinsley. “You’re diligent, you’re dedicated, you major in the minors. All the things that we’re looking for in the receiver position and now we’ve got to just keep getting better. You’ve got a big role.
“You’re kind of like I was when I played where if anything happens you’re able to come in and we don’t skip a beat. So just keep having that mindset and keep working like you’ve been doing and good things are going to happen this season. You’re going to contribute to the success of this team and hopefully we make a run to the Super Bowl, man.”