Logan Wilson Bio
Logan Wilson is an American professional football linebacker known for his six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft. After a standout run in Cincinnati, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 and later announced his retirement from the NFL.
Early Life and Background
Logan Wilson was born on July 8, 1996, in Casper, Wyoming. He grew up in Casper and attended Natrona County High School, where he developed into a versatile multi-position player. At Natrona County, he lined up at defensive back, wide receiver, placekicker and punter on the football team.
Wilson was named first-team All-State as a placekicker during his sophomore and junior seasons. As a junior, he added first-team All-State honors at safety, wide receiver and punter. In his senior year, he recorded six interceptions and five passes broken up on defense, along with 29 catches for 493 yards and seven touchdowns on offense, earning first-team All-State recognition at safety, wide receiver and punter. He helped lead the Mustangs to a 12-0 record and a state title that season.
Coming out of high school, Wilson committed to play college football at Wyoming, with his only other scholarship offer coming from Weber State. He stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and played at around 245 pounds, a frame that translated well to the linebacker position at the next level.
Path to American Football
Wilson redshirted his true freshman season at Wyoming before breaking onto the scene as a redshirt freshman. That year, he recorded 94 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, seven passes defended, three interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble and three fumble recoveries, with one fumble recovery also taken to the end zone. His performance earned him Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year honors.
He continued to develop over his next two seasons, posting 119 tackles as a redshirt sophomore and 103 tackles as a redshirt junior, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West recognition in both years. As a senior, he totaled 105 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss, a sack, four interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 11 passes broken up and a forced fumble, securing first-team All-Mountain West honors and second-team All-American recognition from USA Today. Wilson finished his collegiate career with 421 tackles, fourth-most in school history.
Logan Wilson Career
Early Career (2020)
Wilson was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 65th overall pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft. He made his NFL debut in the opening game of the 2020 season, recording two tackles as a reserve linebacker against the Los Angeles Chargers. In Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles, he picked off his first career pass off a throw from Carson Wentz during a 23-23 tie, and in Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans he recorded his first career sack on Ryan Tannehill in a 31-20 win.
Cincinnati Bengals Breakthrough (2021-2024)
Wilson entered 2021 as the Bengals’ starting middle linebacker and quickly showed his ball-hawking ability. He intercepted Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields in Week 2 and followed that with two interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger plus a game-high 14 tackles in a Week 3 win at Heinz Field over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson finished the 2021 regular season with a team-leading four interceptions. In the AFC Divisional Playoff against the top-seeded Tennessee Titans, he intercepted a tipped pass from Ryan Tannehill, setting up a game-winning field goal by Evan McPherson that gave Cincinnati its first road playoff win in franchise history.
The 2022 season cemented Wilson as a defensive leader for the Bengals. He opened the year slowly but broke out in Week 3 against the New York Jets with seven tackles, a forced fumble and a 41-yard interception return. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13, he posted a career-best 17 combined tackles with 0.5 sacks, and the following week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he recorded his first sack of the season while adding 15 tackles. Wilson led Cincinnati in tackles with 123 on the year. In the Wild Card win over the Baltimore Ravens, he forced a fumble from Tyler Huntley at the 1-yard line that Sam Hubbard recovered and returned 98 yards for a touchdown, setting NFL postseason records for the longest fumble return for a touchdown and the longest go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of a postseason game.
Wilson signed a four-year contract extension with Cincinnati on August 4, 2023, and produced another strong season, including two interceptions off Matthew Stafford against the Los Angeles Rams and a key late interception against the San Francisco 49ers that set up a go-ahead score. He led the team in tackles for a third straight year with 135 combined tackles. In 2024, he started 11 games and recorded 104 combined tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries before a knee injury led to season-ending surgery in December.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2025)
On October 23, 2025, Wilson requested a trade after Cincinnati reduced his role on defense. On November 4, 2025, the Bengals traded him to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, No. 221 overall, used on Jack Endries. He appeared in seven games for Dallas, including one start, and produced one pass deflection, one forced fumble and 24 combined tackles. He was released by the Cowboys on February 20, 2026, and announced his retirement from the NFL on March 18, 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Wilson built his reputation on football instincts, reliable tackling and the ability to make plays on the ball. He proved comfortable in coverage, picking off 11 passes across his career, and he showed a knack for forcing fumbles with seven forced fumbles over six seasons. His intelligence and tackling reliability made him a steady presence in the middle of the Bengals’ defense and a vocal leader in the locker room.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Wilson’s signature moments was his interception of Ryan Tannehill in the 2021 AFC Divisional Playoff that delivered Cincinnati’s first road playoff win, and his forced fumble against Baltimore in the 2022 Wild Card that led to the longest fumble return for a touchdown in NFL postseason history. He also set career highs with 135 combined tackles in 2023 and 17 combined tackles against Cleveland in 2022.
Logan Wilson Career Wins
Logan Wilson recorded five and a half sacks, 11 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and 26 pass deflections across his NFL career, totaling 565 combined tackles. His biggest wins came in prime time, with a 24-10 victory at Pittsburgh in 2021, a road playoff upset of the top-seeded Tennessee Titans and a Wild Card win over Baltimore the following January.
Cincinnati Bengals Highlights
Wilson spent five full seasons as a core member of the Bengals’ defense, leading the team in tackles in each of his final three years. His first career interception came off Carson Wentz in 2020, and his final Bengals season in 2024 ended early because of a knee injury that sent him to injured reserve.
Other Wins and Performances
At Wyoming, Wilson was a four-year contributor who became one of the program’s all-time leading tacklers. His 421 career stops ranked fourth in school history, and he capped his career as a first-team All-Mountain West selection and a USA Today second-team All-American.
Logan Wilson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wilson was raised in Casper, Wyoming, the same city where he was born. His pre-NFL development centered on Natrona County High School, where his family supported his multi-sport football journey that included defensive back, wide receiver, kicking and punting duties.
Personal Life
Wilson has kept much of his personal and family life private, and limited verified public information is available beyond his upbringing in Wyoming and his college commitment to the in-state Wyoming Cowboys.
2025 Season Performance
Wilson’s 2025 season began in Cincinnati under difficult circumstances. He opened the year in a reduced role, and on October 23, 2025, he formally requested a trade. The Bengals dealt him to the Dallas Cowboys on November 4, 2025, in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round selection.
With Dallas, Wilson appeared in seven games and made one start, finishing his Cowboys stint with 24 combined tackles, one pass deflection and one forced fumble. He was released on February 20, 2026, before announcing his retirement from the NFL on March 18, 2026, closing the book on a six-year professional career that included 11 career interceptions, five and a half sacks and three postseason appearances with the Bengals.
