Dylan Fairchild hasn't done many media hits this offseason as he quietly builds on his strong rookie-season finish. The Bengals starting left guard isn't looking to talk much entering Year 2 either; it's almost time to let his play do the chatting.
He did have some fun with FOX19's Jeremy Rauch in front of his locker this week. Fairchild and the rest of the team have an extended off period during this holiday weekend before starting the first round of game-week practices on Monday.
Dec 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras (64) and guard Dylan Fairchild (63) and offensive tackle Orlando Brown (75) line up for a play during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The 23-year-old had one of the better rookie guard seasons in the NFL last year, earning a 59.1 overall PFF grade in the 2025 season, 46th among 81 qualified offensive guards. He played 961 offensive snaps on the season and ranked fifth among rookie guards with a 67.5 PFF pass-blocking grade.
"It really doesn't matter what I say. It matters if we hit the ground running," Fairchild declared to Rauch. "That's the biggest thing, and that's the goal. You want to hit the ground running. You don't want to start slow, and we've had a great training camp to prepare us for that, and we're really excited, man. It's gonna be a great year. Our goal is to start fast. That's the biggest thing: start fast, get the ball rolling, and just go from there."
Cincinnati has stayed healthy along its offensive front all offseason and can now continue its strong finish last year into a new campaign.
They'll need to be sharp in the opening weeks against two of the toughest defensive fronts on the docket all season in Tampa Bay and Houston .
"Really excited to just put our best foot forward and show the world what we've been working on, and just really like go out there and compete," Fairchild said about the home opener against Tampa Bay. "You know what I mean? Go against a really good team. We're excited with what we've put together, and it's going to be a great year."
Music to Bengals fans' ears. All the talk is almost over, with on-field results close to taking center stage.
Check out the full chat with Rauch below:
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/bengals/onsi as 'Doesn't Matter What I Say' - Dylan Fairchild Ready to Let Play do The Talking in 2026 Season .
