Logan Wilson, the former University of Wyoming linebacker who spent most of his six NFL seasons anchoring the Cincinnati Bengals defense, announced his retirement Wednesday afternoon via Instagram.
Wilson, 29, built a career that few expected from a third-round pick out of a Mountain West program. He became one of the more reliable linebackers in the AFC, recording four straight 100-tackle seasons and earning a four-year contract extension from Cincinnati.
His final chapter came in Dallas, where a midseason trade in 2025 gave the Cowboys a short-lived veteran presence in their linebacker room.
The Cowboys released Wilson in February, and no new team materialized. Wednesday’s Instagram post made the decision official.
Wilson’s retirement message carried no Cowboys colors. The graphic behind his words was orange and black, and he signed off exactly the way he came in: as a Bengal.
How a Wyoming Kid Became the Heart of Cincinnati’s Defense
Cincinnati Bengals, Logan Wilson
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson (55) celebrates the win at the conclusion of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Tennessee Titans, 19-16, to advance to the AFC Championship game.
Cincinnati Bengals At Tennessee Titans Jan 22 Afc Divisional Playoffs
Wilson grew up in Casper, Wyoming, a place that does not produce many NFL linebackers. He attended Natrona County High School and played college ball for the Wyoming Cowboys before Cincinnati selected him 65th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
He developed quickly. By 2021, he was the Bengals’ starting middle linebacker, and that season defined everything.
In the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Tennessee Titans, Wilson’s interception helped send Cincinnati to the AFC Championship. The Bengals knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs to reach Super Bowl LVI, where he finished the game with nine combined tackles, five of which were solo, though Cincinnati fell to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20.
He then signed a four-year, $36 million extension with the Bengals in August 2023. Through five-plus seasons in Cincinnati, Wilson finished with 541 tackles, 11 interceptions, 5.5 sacks, and 25 pass breakups.
In his retirement post, shared by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on X, Wilson wrote:
“Cincinnati will always mean a lot to me. The teammates, coaches, staff, and fans made those years unforgettable. That 2021 playoff run was something special — the interception in Tennessee to send us to the AFC Championship, beating Kansas City to win the AFC, and taking the field in the Super Bowl. Those moments and that locker room are something I’ll carry with me forever. And the best part of all, my daughter was born there.”
Former Bengals and Cowboys LB Logan Wilson announced his retirement from the NFL on IG. pic.twitter.com/IF65pajYHG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2026
Wilson’s Final Season Ended With a Trade Request and a Cowboys Release
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson (55) tackles Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.Green Bay defeated Cincinnati 27-18. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson (55) tackles Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.Green Bay defeated Cincinnati 27-18.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
The 2025 season did not go smoothly. Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor benched Wilson in favor of rookie linebacker Barrett Carter, which prompted Wilson to request a trade.
Dallas responded. The Cowboys sent a 2026 seventh-round pick to Cincinnati at the trade deadline, acquiring Wilson on November 4.
He played seven games for Dallas, finishing with 24 tackles and a forced fumble before being released in February 2026. His time with the Cowboys never had a real future attached to it.
Wilson opened his retirement statement simply: “After a lot of thought and prayer, I’ve decided to officially retire from the NFL,” he wrote on Instagram. “From being a Wyoming kid with big dreams to hearing my name called in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals… football gave me more than I ever could have imagined.”
At 29, Wilson is stepping away with close to $30 million in career earnings and a résumé that includes a Super Bowl appearance and 83 career games. Whether Cincinnati finds a linebacker with his range and instincts remains a genuine question heading into the 2026 season.