The Cincinnati Bengals gave hometown rookie Josh Kattus the clearance he needed to begin the most important stretch of his first NFL summer.
The team announced Thursday that Kattus passed his physical and is cleared to practice.
Kattus had opened training camp on the active/non-football injury list after Cincinnati placed him there July 25.
The Bengals didn’t identify the condition that kept Kattus out.
His Kentucky career ended with a season-ending injury against Vanderbilt on Nov. 22, 2025, although the team hasn’t connected that injury to his camp absence.
His return arrives with urgency.
Cincinnati opens the preseason against Detroit on Aug. 13, giving an undrafted rookie in a packed position group only one week to prepare for his first potential NFL game action.
Kattus Finally Gets His Hometown Opportunity
GettyLEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 8: Josh Kattus #84 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts during the second half of the NCAA football game between the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field on November 8, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Kattus’ journey to the Bengals has carried a hometown feel from the beginning.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end grew up in Cincinnati, starred at Archbishop Moeller High School and spent four seasons at Kentucky.
His father, Eric, played the same position for the Bengals from 1986 through 1991 and belonged to the 1988 team that reached Super Bowl XXIII.
Kattus nearly missed his pre-draft visit with Cincinnati after storms canceled his connecting flight in Chicago.
Local 12’s Richard Skinner reported that the Bengals arranged an overnight Uber ride for multiple prospects, allowing Kattus to arrive shortly before his physical and meeting with the coaching staff.
The difficult trip led to the destination Kattus wanted.
“I always wanted to be a Bengal,” Kattus said.
The visit helped lead to a college free-agent contract in May.
Kattus appeared in 44 games with 26 starts at Kentucky, finishing with 38 receptions for 505 yards and six touchdowns. He produced career highs with 17 catches and 195 yards as a senior before the injury ended his season.
His receiving totals point toward a complementary role.
Kattus handled steady work in the SEC, lining up in packages featuring multiple tight ends and building experience that could work on an NFL depth chart.
Special Teams Could Decide Kattus’ Bengals Future
GettyLEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – AUGUST 30: Josh Kattus #84 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts after a dropped pass during the second half against the Toledo Rockets at Kroger Field on August 30, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
The missed practices leave Kattus chasing a group that already had meager room for error.
Cincinnati entered camp with five returning tight ends, including Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample, before adding seventh-round pick Jack Endries and Kattus.
Gesicki led the position group with 307 receiving yards last season, while Sample paced the room with 12 starts and continued to serve as a run-blocking option.
Endries also carries the security of a draft investment after the Bengals selected him No. 221 overall.
Therefore, Kattus may need to close the gap through blocking and special teams work, the areas that often decide the final spots at the position.
He understood that equation before camp began.
He told Local 12 that he played on the four primary special teams units as a Kentucky freshman.
After his offensive role expanded, he asked to return to the punt team during his senior season to give NFL clubs more evidence of his value.
“Playing special teams — that’s how you stick around,” Kattus said.
Passing the physical opens the competition for Kattus.
Now, he must make his argument for a roster spot on the field.
Bengals’ Hometown Rookie Medically Cleared to Practice After Training Camp Delay