Bengals Beat: Bill Tobin Passes at 83

CINCINNATI — The father of Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin has passed.

The Bengals announced Friday the passing of longtime player personnel executive Bill Tobin at the age of 83.

Tobin joined the Bengals as a scouting consultant in 2003 and worked in the team’s player personnel department through 2022.

Tobin came to Cincinnati after stints as General Manager of the Chicago Bears from 1987-92, General Manager of the Indianapolis Colts from ’94-96 and Director of Player Personnel of the Detroit Lions from 2001-02.

Two of his teams, the 1988 Bears and the 1995 Colts came within a win of the Super Bowl, only to lose in the conference championship.

Tobin was long considered one of the best talent evaluators in the league and his ability to assess talent coming out of college made him one of the more respected NFL executives come draft time every spring.

“He was a true NFL success story,” said Bengals President Mike Brown. “He was a good person and I considered him a good friend. With Bill, I respected everything he said. I just took it as a given. He had an eye for players and what they would develop into. If he said the guy was a good player, then he was a good player; that’s all I would need to know. We will miss him.”

Duke Tobin actually came to Cincinnati before his father’s arrival in 2003, working in the player personnel department since 1999.

While Bill Tobin will long be remembered for his keen eye on football talent, there is one moment in particular that will come to the minds of many NFL fans. In 1994, the Colts drafted linebacker Trev Alberts fifth overall out of Nebraska instead of taking quarterback Trent Dilfer, and one pick behind Willie McGinest by New England.