Bengals RT Amarius Mims has shared that he was selected for a random drug test by the NFL after the game in Pittsburgh last Sunday.
This test certainly comes at an interesting time as Mims is currently in the midst of a dominant stretch of play. The emerging star tackle has gone 113 pass-blocking snaps without a pressure according to PFF. Amarius Mims hasn’t just been dominating against soft competition either. His first three games have seen him line up across from first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, and T.J. Watt. For Mims to be doing what he is doing is very impressive.
Mims’ Dominant Start
When Amarius Mims was drafted as a first-round pick in 2024 out of Georgia, there was a lot of excitement in Cincinnati that he could be the next great tackle and a true anchor on the line for quarterback Joe Burrow. His rookie season got off to a slow start amid some injuries and general growing pains. By 2025, he established himself as a full-time starter and looked like an emerging young player. To start 2026, he looks like everything Bengals fans hoped for and more. A physical giant, Mims stands at 6’8″ tall and weighs 350 pounds. He has been giving some of the best edge rushers in the league, such as Watt, Hunter, and Anderson Jr., fits to start the 2026 season.
Mims has been in a league of his own when it comes to pass blocking so far this season. According to an X post from PFF, Mims has played 111 pass-blocking snaps without allowing a pressure, while the next closest tackle is Theo Benedet of the Bears with 16. While there is some discrepancy between the 111 and 113 numbers between PFF’s X post and their website, the broader picture is clear. Amarius Mims is a brick wall on the right side of the Bengals O-line, and there doesn’t seem to be another tackle particularly close to negating pressure as well as he has through three weeks of the season.
The NFL Drug Test
After the Bengals’ loss to the Steelers this past Sunday, a game in which Mims shut down star edge rusher T.J. Watt, Mims shared on his Instagram story that he was subject to a random drug test. The story was captured and shared on X by Lorenzo Sorice here:
Fans have certainly had some fun with the timing of this test from the NFL. Watt was off to a dominant start himself through two games in 2026 with 3.5 sacks and an impressive pick-6 against Atlanta. Then came a matchup with the imposing Mims, where he was mostly blanked. He finished the game with 1 tackle and 1 QB hit, according to ESPN. While the timing certainly seems a bit suspicious, there is no evidence to suggest that the drug test was issued due to Mims’ recent performance or his matchup with Watt.
Overall, the start of this season has to have Bengals fans really excited with the development of Amarius Mims. He looks like a star right tackle and will hopefully help anchor the Bengals’ line for years to come.
Bengals’ Amarius Mims Gets Drug Test Amid Dominant Start