CINCINNATI, Ohio — Don’t call him a traitor.

Call him an opportunist.

Mars graduate Blaise Taggart, who graduated from the University of Cincinnati last spring with a degree in sports administration, is now working for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Taggart is a coaching video assistant for the Bengals and will be on the sidelines Monday night taking pictures for use by the coaches against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“It’s the most intense part of my job,” Taggart said. “Coaches count on getting those field prints on the sidelines while the game is going on and you can’t miss anything.

“You have to be mentally focused constantly. Your mind can’t wander for one second.”

Taggart’s career goal isn’t doing video in the NFL. He ultimately wants to get into the player scouting part of the business.

But he’s in the NFL — and that’s step one.

“I got my foot in the door and I’m fresh out of college,” Taggart said. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Taggart first got involved with doing video work for coaches at the University of Cincinnati. While doing his sports administration work with the Bearcats, he got word that the football team needed help in that area.

He became so good at it that he wound up receiving a half-scholarship for his video efforts.

The Bengals developed an opening in their video department and were steered toward Taggart by a university recommendation.

One of four people in the Bengals’ video department, Taggart films special teams work during the team’s practice sessions and works directly with Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons.

“I also break down the opponents’ special teams film and put a package together for the coaches each week,” Taggart said. “Every team has to submit its game tape to the league each week and they become available to other teams.

“Every NFL team has access to any other team’s films at any time.”

Taggart graduated from Mars in 2009 and played football and baseball for the Planets. He has been to numerous Steeler games at Heinz Field as good friend Chris Rumbaugh has season tickets.

“I actually grew up an Eagles fan, though,” he said, laughing. “But the Steelers have always been my AFC team. I’ve probably been to 30 games (at Heinz Field).”

Not anymore.

Taggart is part of a huge Western Pennsylvania connection with the Bengals. Head coach Marvin Lewis attended Fort Cherry High School. Tight end coach Jonathon Hayes and defensive line coach Jay Hayes attended South Fayette.

Wide receivers coach James Urban was an assistant coach at Clarion University and line coach Paul Alexander was a grad assistant at Penn State.

“That Pittsburgh influence has helped me with the coaches, especially the guys who were with WPIAL schools,” Taggart said. “We talk about it all the time.

“The video thing may have come out of the blue for me, but it did get me a scholarship and I knew I wanted a career in sports ever since I was young.”

Now when he gets the chance, he hangs out with the Bengals’ scouting department.

“I’m sort of learning as I go,” he admitted. “I’m serrious about my job and the role I play in the organization, but I’m educating myself on the scouting end of it, too.

“I’ll really be paying close attention when the next NFL draft approaches.”

But first things first. Taggart is helping to prepare the Bengals to beat the Steelers.

“My parents are driving down for the game. It will be fun,” he said. “When I go to work for the opposing team at Heinz Field? That will be weird.”