Jalen Kitna, son of former Bengals QB, participates in team’s pre-draft workout

The first NFL game Jalen Kitna attended was at Paul Brown Stadium when he was too young to remember watching his dad play quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals.

On Tuesday, that all came full circle when the NFL draft prospect and former University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) quarterback put on a Bengals’ No. 3 practice jersey – just like his dad, current Lakota East High School coach Jon Kitna, wore for the Bengals from 2001 through 2005 – and took the field at what is now Paycor Stadium.

Jalen Kitna, who was born in 2003, was among a group of about 32 participants at the Bengals’ annual local players’ pre-draft workout Tuesday.

“It's obviously a great feeling getting to wear the number and just be out here,” Jalen said. “I mean, just any opportunities I'm super thankful for, but especially just getting to have this special opportunity and get to do something that we have some history and it is really special and I'm super thankful for that.”

Jalen bounced around as a youth because of his dad’s NFL career, which included stints with the Detroit Lions (2006-08) and Dallas Cowboys (2009-11, 2013), before Jon Kitna became a high school coach.

After attending four different high schools in Texas and Arizona, Jalen began his college career at Florida but had to find a new landing spot after two seasons.

Then-Gators coach Billy Napier kicked him off the team after he was arrested in Nov. 2022 on child pornography charges that eventually were dropped in a plea deal. Jalen pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of breach of the peace, as investigators determined the images he had shared on a social media platform did not meet the criteria for the initial charges.

Jalen was picked up by UAB in 2024 and threw for 4,671 yards and 30 touchdowns with 21 interceptions over 18 games in two seasons. Questions about his arrest still follow him, especially as teams are doing their research into players’ backgrounds.

“If there's been any questions, I got to answer them and just really tell the truth about what happened, and I've been thankful to do that,” Jalen said. “And I think that whole process and that whole trial was something that I got to grow from and I got to learn a lot from. And I wouldn't choose it, but I'm super thankful for it.”

The pre-draft process has allowed Jalen to show teams who he really is, he said, and Tuesday’s brief workout in front of Bengals coaches, scouts and front office personnel was a “great experience.” The workout lasted only about 25 minutes, but Jalen said he was able to show how he can “rip it” and just enjoy the feeling for working out in front of an NFL staff.

Jalen is likely a better candidate to be picked up after the draft as a college free agent, but that was the route his dad took, and Jon Kitna enjoyed a 14-year NFL career.

“I think the NFL is somewhere where it's truly the most equal opportunity it could be,” Jalen said. “It's a truly competitive league, and so they find a way to find the best people, you know, find who could do it. And so I'm looking forward to that, just whatever opportunity that I get, making the most of it. And I know that the Lord has just ordered the steps in the way to get me to where I need to be. And so, whatever that is, I'm excited for it. I'm excited to see it happen.”

Jalen said it’s been “special” to be able to work with his dad throughout the draft process, as he’s been preparing and trying to stay ready. He does some of his workouts at Lakota East, where Jon Kitna has been coaching since 2023.

The family plans to grill out, play games and watch the draft together next week. Whatever happens, Jalen was grateful for the opportunity to get a look from one of his his dad’s former employers.

“This city, I think it's a special place to be,” Jalen Kitna said. “Being in a lot of different places, you see a lot of different things and Cincinnati's one of those places that truly takes a lot of pride and has a lot of people that are really invested in the program and the organization here. And so, it's pretty cool to be here, be back here and just so many faces and people that have crossed paths. I really enjoy it.”