Cincinnati's Dontay Corleone out indefinitely as blood clots in lungs sideline star defensive lineman

Cincinnati defensive lineman Dontay Corleone is out indefinitely while undergoing treatment for blood clots found in his lungs, the team announced Friday . One of the Bearcats' top returning players and a 2025 NFL Draft prospect, Corleone was a second-team All-Big 12 selection last season.

"I am incredibly grateful to my family and for Aaron Himmler, Dr. Jon Divine, our whole medical staff and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for guiding me through this over the last few weeks," Corleone said in a statement. "Right now, I'm focused on my recovery. My hope is I will be able to return to football soon, but in the meantime, I will do everything I can to rehab and help the football program as a leader and mentor to our younger players. I'm looking forward to being around the guys soon. The sky is the limit for the Bearcats this season. I love my teammates, our coaches, this university, this city, and – of course – this fanbase, which has been incredibly supportive of me over the last three years."

The 6-foot-1 and 320-pound Corleone had 39 tackles, 6.5 for a loss and three sacks as a redshirt sophomore in 2023. He was an instrumental part of Cincinnati's first conference win as a Big 12 program, logging four total tackles and one sack in a 24-14 triumph against Houston .

He also had sacks against power conference foes Pittsburgh and Oklahoma . For his career, the disruptive Corleon has 12 tackles for loss and six sacks with the Bearcats.