Whether you call him Chad Johnson or Chad OchoCinco, you are talking about one of the greatest offensive weapons in the history of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Drafted in the sixth round (135th overall) of the 1969 AFL Draft out of Florida A&M, Ken Riley arrived in Cincinnati as a star college quarterback. Like so many Black quarterbacks of his era, he was immediately transitioned to defense by head coach Paul Brown. Riley embraced the position switch, transforming into "The Rattler"—a technician at boundary corner whose 15-year career in Cincinnati stood as a masterclass in durability, film study, and ballhawking precision.

Riley was not a flashy cornerback who relied on trash talk or raw, unbridled size. Instead, his former quarterbacking eyes gave him a massive diagnostic advantage. He studied opposing route combinations obsessively, allowing him to jump passing lanes, bait quarterbacks into tight windows, and secure interceptions without giving up deep leverage. His footwork was exceptionally fluid, and his sure-handed tackling made him a complete, dependable defender on the edge.

Riley made an immediate impact in his 1969 rookie campaign, snagging four interceptions. He quickly secured a starting cornerback spot and launched a remarkable 15-year run of health and consistency, recording at least one interception in each of his 15 seasons.

In the mid-1970s, Riley established himself as a top cover man. He earned Second-Team All-Pro honors in 1975 after a five-interception season, and in 1976, he again received Second-Team All-Pro recognition following a career-high nine interceptions.

Despite his staggering takeaways and lockdown coverage, Riley was famously overlooked for the Pro Bowl throughout his career—a snub that baffled voters for decades. Yet his final season in 1983 served as the ultimate mic-drop moment. At 36, Riley started all 16 games, intercepted eight passes (returning two for touchdowns), and earned his long-overdue First-Team All-Pro selection.

He retired after the 1983 season, having played 207 regular-season games—all with the Bengals—and recorded 65 career interceptions, five touchdown returns, and 18 fumble recoveries. His 65 picks ranked fourth in NFL history at the time of his retirement and remain tied for fifth all-time.

When the franchise inaugurated the Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor in 2021, Riley was naturally enshrined as one of four charter members alongside Anthony Muñoz, Ken Anderson, and Paul Brown. His legacy received its final, righteous validation when he was posthumously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2023.

Chosen in the second round (38th overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft out of Maryland, Norman "Boomer" Esiason arrived in Southwestern Ohio as the designated heir apparent to franchise legend Ken Anderson. Despite falling to the second round, Esiason held the distinction of being the first quarterback taken in his draft class. Armed with a fiery swagger, a cannon for a left arm, and an innate knack for play-action deception, he stepped into the starting spot and ushered in a high-octane era of Cincinnati football.

Esiason brought commanding physical stature and left-handed pocket poise to the position. Operating under head coach Sam Wyche, he became the field general for Cincinnati's innovative "No-Huddle" offense. Esiason possessed one of the smoothest, most convincing play-fake motions in NFL history, freezing linebackers with subtle ball handling before launching deep vertical strikes off play-action. His quick mental processing allowed him to dictate tempo, catch defenses in bad personnel groupings, and spread the ball across the field with touch and velocity.

Esiason saw his first extensive action as a rookie in 1984, starting four games while learning behind Anderson. By 1985, he assumed full-time starting duties, leading Cincinnati to a 9-7 record while throwing for 3,049 yards and 27 touchdowns.

In 1986, he made his first significant step into elite levels by earning his initial Pro Bowl. Esiason totaled 3,959 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, guiding the NFL's best offense and helping the Bengals attain a 10-win season. Following a challenging, strike-shortened 1987 season across the league, Esiason rebounded with one of the best individual quarterback performances of the 1980s.

Esiason’s peak campaign came in 1988 when he led the league's most potent offense. He posted a 97.4 passer rating, threw for 3,572 yards, and scored 28 touchdowns with only 14 interceptions. He earned the AP NFL MVP award along with First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections. Significantly, Esiason led the Bengals to a 12–4 season and an AFC Championship appearance, bringing Cincinnati back to Super Bowl XXIII for a memorable rematch against the San Francisco 49ers.

Esiason upheld his elite level over the subsequent two years, securing Pro Bowl selections in 1989 and 1990. During a 1990 game against the Los Angeles Rams, he delivered a remarkable performance, throwing for 522 yards—the third-highest single-game passing record in NFL history.

Traded to his hometown New York Jets before the 1993 season, Esiason demonstrated he still had plenty of skill by earning his fourth Pro Bowl selection in his first year in East Rutherford. After playing for New York and Arizona, Esiason returned to Cincinnati for a memorable final season in 1997. Coming off the bench late in the season, he went 4-1 as a starter, throwing 13 touchdowns with only two interceptions, finishing his career on a high note.

In his 10 total seasons with the Bengals (1984–1992, 1997), Esiason played in 134 regular-season games, accruing 27,149 passing yards and 187 touchdowns alongside 1,293 rushing yards and 7 rushing scores. At the time of his departure, he ranked right beside Ken Anderson at the top of virtually every franchise passing leaderboard. In 2023, the organization celebrated his legacy by inducting Esiason into the Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor.

Geno Atkins from the University of Georgia was picked in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Bengals. He faced many questions about his size; at 6 feet 1 inch, scouts doubted he had the length to compete inside against large interior linemen. However, Atkins utilized his low center of gravity and quick first step, transforming the role of a modern three-technique defensive tackle and becoming a key part of Cincinnati's defense for more than ten years.

Atkins played with leverage and leverage-driven power. He combined a violent, quick-hand swim move with a bull rush that caught guards on their heels, collapsing passing pockets directly into the quarterback's face. His sudden lateral quickness allowed him to shoot B-gaps before interior linemen could set their stance, making him a nightmare against draw plays and inside zone schemes.

In 2010, as a rookie, Atkins played mainly in a rotational role and recorded 3.0 sacks. He became a starter in 2011 and quickly achieved recognition by earning his first Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors, thanks to his 7.0 sacks.

His career peak came in 2012 when he led as an interior lineman, recording 12.5 sacks, 53 tackles, and four forced fumbles. That year, he earned his first First-Team All-Pro honor and his second Pro Bowl invitation, playing a key role in a defense that took Cincinnati to the playoffs.

After suffering an ACL tear midway through the 2013 season, Atkins returned to top form in 2015. He tied his career high with 11.0 sacks, earned his second First-Team All-Pro nod, and led a 12–4 Bengals team to an AFC North crown. Atkins rattled off six consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2014 through 2019, including a 10.0-sack campaign in 2018. Across the 2010s, no defensive tackle in the NFL recorded more total sacks than his 75.5.

A severe shoulder injury limited Atkins to just eight games in 2020, bringing his tenure with the Bengals to a close. In 11 seasons in Cincinnati (2010–2020), he played in 161 regular-season games, racking up 75.5 sacks, 384 total tackles, 99 tackles for loss, and 8 forced fumbles. His decade-long dominance earned him a coveted spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.