Bobby Gene Hill Jr. Bio
Bobby Gene Hill Jr. (born April 20, 1995), known professionally as B.J. Hill, is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and listed at 311 lb (141 kg), Hill has built a reputation as a reliable interior pass rusher since entering the league in 2018. He played college football for the NC State Wolfpack and was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Across his professional career, Hill has appeared in regular season and postseason games for two franchises, contributing as both a run defender and an interior disruptor. As of the 2025 NFL season, he has accumulated 407 total tackles, 27.5 sacks, 16 pass deflections, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
Early Life and Background
Bobby Gene Hill Jr. was born on April 20, 1995, in Oakboro, North Carolina, in the United States. He grew up in the small Stanly County community and attended West Stanly High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete during his formative years. In addition to football, Hill competed in track and field, baseball, and basketball, an athletic foundation that helped shape his versatility and competitive toughness.
As a senior at West Stanly, Hill recorded nine sacks, one interception, and five rushing touchdowns while playing both defensive end and running back. He was listed as a three-star defensive end recruit by 247Sports.com and committed to NC State on June 12, 2013, choosing the Wolfpack over scholarship offers from East Carolina and North Carolina.
Path to American Football
Hill signed with NC State as a high school defensive end prospect but quickly transitioned into a defensive tackle role once he arrived on campus. The position change suited his frame and allowed him to use his strength and quickness against the run and as an interior pass rusher, the core skills that would later define his professional profile.
He attended and played college football at NC State from 2014 to 2017, becoming a starting defensive tackle midway through his freshman year and holding the starting job for the remainder of his college career. Across 51 games, with 44 starts, he finished his Wolfpack tenure with 187 tackles, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 10 pass deflections. He was named Honorable Mention All-ACC for his senior season in 2017 after recording 57 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble, and his performance earned him an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl.
Bobby Gene Hill Jr. Career
Pre-Draft and Senior Bowl (2017–2018)
Hill accepted his invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl on December 4, 2017, and went on to play in the all-star game on January 27, 2018, as part of the North squad coached by Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph. He impressed scouts and team representatives during the week of practices, lifting his draft stock before heading to Indianapolis.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Hill completed every combine and positional drill, finishing third among all defensive linemen in the bench press, fifth in the three-cone drill, tied for 11th in the 20-yard shuttle, and 15th among his position group in the 40-yard dash. He also attended pre-draft visits with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers before the 2018 NFL Draft.
New York Giants Breakthrough (2018–2020)
The New York Giants selected Hill in the third round with the 69th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, making him the fifth defensive tackle taken that year. The pick used on Hill had been acquired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for Jason Pierre-Paul. On June 7, 2018, the Giants signed Hill to a four-year, $4.04 million contract that included a $1.02 million signing bonus.
Hill wasted little time making an impact, recording his first career sack in Week 3 against the Houston Texans and adding a second sack the following week in a loss to the New Orleans Saints. His production dipped in 2019, when he finished with 36 tackles and only one sack. In 2020, he opened the season with a sack of Mitchell Trubisky in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears, continuing to develop as a rotational interior defender.
Cincinnati Bengals Era (2021–Present)
On August 30, 2021, the Giants traded Hill to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for center Billy Price. He quickly emerged as a key piece of Cincinnati’s defensive front and played a memorable role in the 2021 AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, intercepting Patrick Mahomes with the Bengals trailing 13–21 and 2:18 remaining in the third quarter. The turnover set up the game-tying touchdown in a 27–24 overtime victory that sent Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI.
On March 15, 2022, Hill signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension with the Bengals, cementing his role as a core member of the defensive line. He finished the 2022 season with three sacks, 68 tackles, four passes defended, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries. On March 12, 2025, he signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension, further anchoring his long-term future in Cincinnati.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hill is known for his quick first step, heavy hands, and ability to disrupt plays from the interior of the defensive line. He is equally effective against the run and as an interior pass rusher, and his combination of size and technique has made him a dependable three-down tackle for Cincinnati’s defensive scheme.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Hill’s signature moments is his AFC Championship interception of Patrick Mahomes in 2021, one of the defining plays of Cincinnati’s Super Bowl run. He has also hit the 27.5-sack mark for his career, recorded four fumble recoveries, and signed two multi-year extensions worth a combined $63 million with the Bengals.
Bobby Gene Hill Jr. Career Wins
Hill’s career has been built on consistency and postseason impact rather than signature headline wins. Across his time with the Giants and Bengals, his most celebrated victory came during the 2021 AFC Championship Game, when his interception of Patrick Mahomes helped send the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.
NFL Highlights
With the Giants, Hill opened his career with sacks against the Houston Texans and the New Orleans Saints in 2018. With the Bengals, his interception against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Championship stands as his most significant regular or postseason highlight, and he has added multiple sacks and fumble recoveries in subsequent seasons.
Other Wins and Performances
Hill earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors in 2017 and was a key contributor on NC State’s defensive line from his freshman year onward, finishing his college career with 187 tackles and nine sacks. His Senior Bowl week further bolstered his pre-draft profile before he became a third-round selection.
Bobby Gene Hill Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hill was raised in Oakboro, North Carolina, a small community that produced a multi-sport athlete capable of starring in football, baseball, basketball, and track and field at West Stanly High School.
Personal Life
Public information about Hill’s immediate family is limited. He is known publicly by his nickname B.J., derived from Bobby Gene, and continues to represent his hometown of Oakboro as an established NFL veteran.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Hill is firmly entrenched as a starter on Cincinnati’s defensive line after signing a three-year, $33 million extension on March 12, 2025. His role remains focused on interior disruption, run defense, and timely pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the same skill set that produced his memorable AFC Championship interception in 2021.
Through his career, he has accumulated 407 total tackles, 27.5 sacks, 16 pass deflections, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble, providing the Bengals with a proven veteran presence. Cincinnati will look to Hill to anchor the defensive front as the team competes in the AFC playoff picture in 2025.
With his contract running through the 2028 season and his production trending upward in Cincinnati, Hill enters 2025 as one of the most experienced defensive tackles on the Bengals roster. His blend of run-stopping strength and interior pass-rushing skill positions him to remain a central figure on the Bengals’ defense for the foreseeable future.
