Longtime NFL scout Bill Tobin dies at 83

Bill Tobin, father of Cincinnati Bengals current director of player personnel Duke Tobin, has passed away at the age of 83.

Tobin had a career in the NFL as an area scout that lasted 50 years and he worked with the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions in that time. He’s best known for being involved with drafting many players who were on the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl-winning team.

“He was a true NFL success story,” said Bengals President Mike Brown via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “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.”

Tobin acted as a mentor in the Bengals department as his son was rising in the ranks of the organization. Bengals director of pro scouting Steven Radicevic said having him there to help was important for his career.

“He was one of the best. I was fortunate to start my career in the NFL with him as a mentor,” Radicevic said. “He took me under right away. Showed me how to evaluate players. I watched tape with him early on. He showed me what NFL players looked like. He shared his wisdom of the game and knowledge of it. He showed us his ways. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

“He was a true NFL success story… We will miss him.” – Mike Brown

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— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 19, 2024