Former Badger Alex Erickson takes consistent approach with Bengals

Darlington native enters fourth NFL season

June 25, 2019 10:40 PM

Kevin Lewis,

Posted: June 25, 2019 10:40 PM

Updated: August 31, 2021 12:29 PM

by Kevin Lewis

Erickson was second in the league with 1,049 kick return yards last season.
Erickson's signed through the 2020 season.

Madison — Darlington native Alex Erickson is getting ready for his fourth NFL season. The former Wisconsin standout signed with Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and he quickly made himself the team’s primary kick returner. He’s also been productive as a back-up receiver. Not a bad situation for a guy who didn’t play football during his freshman year at UW.

Erickson signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Bengals through 2020, but he says he still approaches every day like his job is on the line.

“You continue to get better and continue to push yourself. Keep taking your game to the next level because every year it gets harder and harder,” Erickson said at Tuesday’s Legends of Wisconsin Golf Classic. “The competition gets better and better. The guys coming in are more talented. You’ve always got to keep stepping up your game.”

Erickson was second in the NFL with 1,049 kick return yards in 2018. He also caught a career-best 20 passes.