Vontaze Burfict was once tabbed as a First Round Pick when he was at Arizona State, but a poor attitude and an even weaker combine resulted in all 32 teams passing on the Linebacker in the 2012 Draft.  The Bengals signed him as an undrafted player, and that polarizing aura that he had as a Sun Devil followed him as a Bengal.

Burfict made the Bengals and was the starting Right Linebacker in the third game of his pro career.  He would record 127 Combined Tackles as a rookie, and in his second season, Burfict went to the Pro Bowl in a season where he led the NFL in Combined Tackles (171).  The first two seasons of Burfict's career were good, but the history of his poor temperament would rear its ugly head.

In 2014, a concussion cost him time, and he was fined continuously for illegal hits.  He appeared in more games in 2015 and had a good year, but he is mostly known for delivering a blow to Antonio Brown late in the AFC Wild Card Game when the Wide Receiver was considered defenseless.  An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty followed this penalty by Adam Jones, and the 30 combined yards led to a successful Field Goal attempt by the Steelers who won the game.

Burfict remained a dynamic linebacker for the Bengals over the next three seasons, but he never came close to a full season due to suspensions.  He was released after the 2018 Season, and joined Oakland, but he was again suspended, this time for a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth week.  Due to his past infractions, he was suspended for the rest of the season, and he never played in the NFL again.

While his career was riddled with controversies, when he was on, few Linebackers could touch him.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post-2021 revision of our top 50 Cincinnati Bengals.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Cincinnati Bengals won their third AFC Championship, but again fell to a California-based team in the Super Bowl, as they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. Despite the potency of the team, the key players are all very young, and it only yielded one new entrant, and no other movement within the Top 50.

As always, we present our top five:

1. Anthony Munoz

2. Ken Anderson

3. Geno Atkins

4. Ken Riley

5. Boomer Esiason

You can find the entire list here.

The lone new entrant is Running Back, Joe Mixon, who went to his first Pro Bowl last season.  He debuts at #50.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Drafted in the second round (48th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft from Oklahoma, Joe Mixon had first-round talent but fell due to off-field issues. In Cincinnati, he quickly proved his value, becoming the Bengals’ offensive focal point and emotional leader in the backfield. Standing 6 feet 1 inch and weighing 220 pounds, Mixon combines patient vision, quick footwork, and strong downhill running with exceptional pass-catching skills out of the backfield.

After a solid rookie season with 628 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Mixon truly emerged as a sophomore in 2018. He led the AFC with 1,168 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns, then followed up with 1,137 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. Although a foot injury limited him to just six games in 2020, Mixon made a strong comeback for Cincinnati's record-breaking 2021 season.

Mixon's 2021 masterclass was the driving force behind Cincinnati's AFC Championship appearance. He achieved personal bests, rushing for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also catching 42 passes for 314 yards and three scores. With a total of 1,519 scrimmage yards, he earned his first Pro Bowl nod and played a key role in helping the Bengals reach Super Bowl LVI. His versatile contributions continued in the following seasons, surpassing 1,200 scrimmage yards in 2022, and ending his streak in 2023 with his fourth 1,000-yard rushing season—finishing with 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.

Prior to the 2024 season, the Bengals traded Mixon to the Houston Texans as part of a roster restructuring, ending his seven-year run in Southern Ohio.  With the club, Mixon accrued 6,412 rushing yards, 2,139 receiving yards, and 62 total touchdowns (49 rushing, 13 receiving).

2024 Pre-Season Rank #111, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #134, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #145. Peak Period: 2021-23*

Here is what we said last year:

“A Pro Bowl in all three of his NFL seasons, Ja’Marr Chase was the 2021 Consensus Offensive Rookie of the Year and is a possible league WR1 going into 2024.  Chase might have to carry a more significant load with the departure of Running Back Joe Mixon, but Chase can set personal bests this year.  Many predict it.”

Chase did that, winning the Wide Receiver’s Triple Crown with 127 Receptions, 1.708 Receiving Yards, and 17 Touchdowns.  His first four NFL seasons have few peers, and he is only 25. 

*Chase has only played for four years.

The Cincinnati Bengals will complete the most remarkable turnaround in NFL history when they compete in Super Bowl LVI on February 13. 

At the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams inside their opponents’ home venue aiming to win their first Super Bowl at the third attempt.

To get a sense of how unlikely their play-off run has been, the Bengals were quite low in Bovada NFL odds to reach the Super Bowl in pre-season. Those odds were issued following a 2020 season in which Cincinnati won just four games, and after a 2019 when they delivered an NFL-worst two wins. 

So, how did one of the worst franchises in the NFL transform itself in record time to now being one win away from lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy?

Joe Burrow

There is no need to overcomplicate the biggest reason for Cincinnati’s turnaround. The 2019 season may have entered the Bengals into the NFL Hall of Shame, but it did guarantee the franchise the first draft pick in 2020. 

The Miami Dolphins wanted Joe Burrow so badly that they were willing to give up multiple first round picks in exchange, but the Bengals never wavered and every Cincinnati fan will be delighted they didn’t.

Burrow has had an enormously transformative impact on the Bengals. The 25-year-old has been immense in leading the Bengals offense this season, both throughout the regular season and more so in the playoffs. 

His brilliance has been even more impressive given the deficiencies of the offensive line which is meant to protect him: Burrow is the 55^th QB in NFL history to be sacked more than 50 times in one season – but is the first to lead his team to the Super Bowl. 

Off the field, Burrow has been just as influential. His swagger and confidence have permeated throughout the Bengals franchise and the wider football community in Cincinnati to the point where the collective mentality has completely shifted.

Once again, a lot will rest on Burrow’s shoulders to deliver the Super Bowl. Not that he will be fazed one bit.

Ja’Marr Chase

It’s incredible to think back now to how much criticism the Bengals received for drafting Ja’Marr Chase with the No 5 pick, when all logic pointed to the franchise needing an offensive lineman. As it turned out, reuniting Chase with his LSU teammate Burrow has proved a masterstroke.

The 21-year-old wide receiver has scored 13 touchdowns and caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards in his debut season, and the synergy he has with Burrow has been key in elevating Cincinnati’s offense to the level that has guided the team to the Super Bowl.

Chase’s 266-yard performance against the Kansas City Chiefs – which comprised three touchdowns and 11 catches – was one of the all-time great rookie performances by a receiver, and he has more postseason receiving yards than any rookie in NFL history.

Cincinnati’s offensive line may still be the team’s weak spot but no one is doubting the decision to recruit Chase now. 

Defense

While much has been made of the offensive line’s shortcomings, the same accusations cannot be directed at the defensive line. 

The signing of Trey Hendrickson as a free agent has proved a shrewd move by the Bengals and the 27-year-old defensive end has delivered with 14 sacks this season – the fifth most in the NFL.

The arrivals of B.J Hill and Larry Ogunjobi – the former from the Giants, the latter after being released by the Browns – further enhanced Cincinnati’s defensive ranks and both players have made big plays during the playoffs.

Also added to the Bengals’ defensive roster this year were Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie, Tre Flowers, Vernon Hargreaves III, and Eli Apple. On the surface, it may seem like an odd mix of talent, but defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has done an excellent job in turning the Cincinnati defense into a cohesive unit.

Clutch Kicking

The kicker is often the most overlooked player on the roster but is regularly thrust into the spotlight at clutch moments to decide the final moments of a game. That has certainly been the case for Cincinnati this season, so thankfully the Bengals can call upon Evan McPherson.

The 22-year-old fifth round draft pick from Florida converted 84.8 percent of his field goal attempts in the regular season, but he has been flawless in the playoffs with 12 from 12, including three successful attempts from more than 50 yards. 

While Burrow, Chase, and the defense have been instrumental in guiding the Bengals to the Super Bowl, the team wouldn’t be there were it not for McPherson’s accuracy and calmness under pressure in the walk-off wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans.

Will the Bengals go all the way in next Sunday’s game and make history overcoming all the odds? It’s unsure, but nonetheless it does not delete an incredible season they had.

The Super Bowl LVI participants are set, and there are not too many who would have bet on the Cincinnati Bengals to face the Los Angeles Rams.  The Rams enter as a favorite, but that is perfectly fine for Cincinnati, who have overcome the odds to get to the big dance.

If you’re planning to place a bet on the Super Bowl, here is a guide with the 3 Easiest Super Bowl 56 bets anyone can make, that was created by the guys at Sports Betting Dime.

The Rams will have the luxury of playing in their home, SoFi Stadium, but this has been a post-season where the road teams have been dominant.  Los Angeles went all in at the start of the season, trading their Quarterback, Jared Goff, and a slew of First Round Picks to Detroit for Matthew Stafford.  The move was every bit the upgrade they hoped for, and it helped propel Wide Receiver, Cooper Kupp, to new single-season receiving records and a possible MVP.

Defensively, the Rams are led by Aaron Donald, the three-time Defensive MVP and future first ballot Hall of Famer.  It is a complete team coached by Sean McVay, who at 36 years of age, will appear in his second Super Bowl, a first for any Coach under 40. 

The Bengals have never won the Super Bowl, and are appearing in their third, the last coming 23 years ago in a loss to San Francisco.  Cincinnati first beat Las Vegas at home, and then upset the top seed Tennessee Titans and defending AFC Champion, Kansas City on the road to get here.

Led by Quarterback, Joe Burrow, the Bengals are riding on momentum and emotion, and while Burrow is only in his second season, he already has a pedigree of a champion.  Along with his teammate and current start Wide Receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, the duo won the National Championship at LSU two years ago, and the image of Burrow smoking a cigar after the victory is an iconic moment that Bengals fans hope to see repeated.

Both teams are capable of comebacks, as shown in each Conference Championship Games, so don’t let any halftime score make you think the game is over.

This is a fresh Super Bowl match, and we can’t wait to see how this will play out.

Super Bowl LVI will be on Sunday, February 13 at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021 revision of our top 50 Cincinnati Bengals of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

After looking at the 2020 Season, we realized that there are no new entries, nor were there any jumps by any current Bengal.

Nevertheless, we thought it prudent to mention that this list is now up to date.

As always, we present our top five immediately.

1. Anthony Munoz

2. Ken Anderson

3. Geno Atkins

4. Ken Riley

5. Boomer Esiason

You can find the entire list here.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

We can’t tell you how much we love this.

The Cincinnati Bengals have announced the creation of the Bengals Ring of Honor, which will have four names in their inaugural class, two of which, they have already named.  Those two are Paul Brown and Anthony Munoz.

Brown, who built the Cleveland Browns decades earlier and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967, became the inaugural Head Coach of the Bengals in 1968.  Serving in that capacity until 1975, Brown brought Cincinnati to the playoffs in 1970, the earliest at that time that an expansion team made the playoffs.

Munoz is considered to be one of the best Offensive Linemen of all time, and he played all 13 of his NFL seasons (1980-92) with the Bengals.  He was an 11-time All-Pro, and was a first-ballot inductee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

The other two names will be decided by the Bengals season ticket holders and suite owners.  In May, the Bengals will put forth a ballot for them to vote on.

We have said often and loudly that the Bengals have done an awful job in celebrating their past stars and their history.  

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Cincinnati Bengals. 

If you want you to name a team that exemplifies hard luck in the National Football League, it would have to be the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Formed in 1968 as the last member of the American Football League, the Bengals joined the NFL with the official merger two years later.  Cincinnati always seems to be a team that struggles, but they have appeared in two Super Bowls, losing both to the San Francisco 49ers.  While they have never been a champion, two Super Bowl appearances are the envy of a few teams in the NFL.  

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Antony Munoz

2. Ken Anderson

3. Geno Atkins

4. Boomer Esiason

5. Ken Riley

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  

Look for our more material coming soon!

Up next, will be the top 50 Cincinnati Bengals.

As always we thank you for your support.

Leon Hall was Cincinnati’s First Round Pick in 2007, and the All-American from the University of Michigan would be their starting Right Cornerback from his rookie season until 2014.

After being drafted in the Seventh Round in 1985, Texas Tech Offensive Lineman, Joe Walter, would prove to be an excellent value for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Rufus Mayes was a First Round Pick by the Chicago Bears in 1969, but his stay in Chicago lasted only one year as he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals for two players; Bill Staley and Harry Gunner.  Neither Staley nor Gunner did much for Chicago, while Mayes had nine productive seasons as a Bengal.

Wasn’t the last name of T.J. Houshmandzadeh a thing of beauty on the back of an NFL jersey?

Before Justin Smith was a star with San Francisco, he was the Fourth Overall Pick by the Cincinnati Bengals from Missouri.

After the Cincinnati Bengals used their Fourth Round Pick in 1977 on Georgia’s Mike Wilson, the Offensive Lineman elected instead to sign with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.  He only played one year there, where he was an AFL All-Star before joining the Bengals in 1978.

Louis Breeden played his entire NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, but it was almost over before it began. 

Jeff Blake spent his first two NFL seasons as a third-stringer for the New York Jets, getting little chance to display the deep-ball flair that earned him a sixth-place Heisman finish. That all changed in 1994 when the Cincinnati Bengals claimed him off waivers, setting the stage for one of the most exciting individual turnarounds in franchise history.

Inserted into the starting lineup midway through the 1994 season, Blake provided an instant spark to a dormant offense. Known for his majestic, sky-high deep ball—dubbed the "Shake and Bake" connection with wideouts Carl Pickens and Darnay Scott—Blake started 10 games and led the entire NFL with 13.8 yards per completion. His explosive downfield attack injected life back into the franchise, winning over the fan base with his improvisational style.

In 1995, Blake hit his peak, leading a standout campaign that earned him a Pro Bowl. He achieved career highs with 3,822 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, helping the Bengals stay in wild-card contention. Although Cincinnati didn't break its playoff drought, Blake's strong arm and efficiency kept the team competitive into the mid-1990s.

Although he was the main starter through the 1997 season, Blake was unable to recreate the success of his 1995 season as turnovers and injuries on offense hindered the team's progress. He ultimately lost the starting position to Akili Smith in 1999 and left in free agency to join the New Orleans Saints in 2000.

Across six seasons with Cincinnati (1994–1999), Blake played in 84 regular-season games (66 starts). He threw for 15,134 passing yards and 93 touchdowns while adding another 1,281 yards and five scores on the ground.

The Bengals from Syracuse selected Dave Lapham in the third round (48th overall), recognizing his versatility and strength as an offensive lineman. During his decade-long career in Queen City, Lapham established himself as a key player in the trenches and later became the iconic media voice of the franchise for fans across generations.

Standing tall at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 260 pounds, Lapham brought impressive footwork, a sharp football IQ, and an adaptable approach to Paul Brown’s offense. After serving as a key interior backup during his rookie year in 1974, he proudly earned the starting right guard spot in 1975. Lapham held onto this position for five exciting seasons (1975–1979), providing solid protection for quarterbacks Ken Anderson and Virgil Carter, while also creating openings for Pete Johnson. His outstanding performances in the late 1970s led to consecutive seasons with double-digit Approximate Value, according to pro football historians.

After returning to a reserve utility role in 1980, Lapham regained the starting right guard position in 1981 under head coach Forrest Gregg. He was a key member of the "Freezer Bowl" offensive line, contributing to Cincinnati’s first AFC Championship and their appearance in Super Bowl XVI. He stayed a regular starter on the interior line until the 1983 season, after which he left the Bengals to play two final seasons with the USFL's New Jersey Generals.

Following his retirement from the field, Lapham seamlessly stepped into the broadcast booth, becoming the color analyst for the Bengals Radio Network in 1986—a post he held for decades as the soundtrack of Cincinnati football. Over his career, Lapham played in 140 regular-season games (105 starts) and four playoff contests, lining up at guard, tackle, and center whenever duty called.

This one should be interesting.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State in 2012, Vontaze Burfict arrived in Cincinnati with a reputation as a volatile, first-round talent whose draft stock plummeted following a disastrous Combine and off-field concerns. In Southern Ohio, Burfict evolved into one of the most brilliant—and deeply controversial—defensive linebackers of his generation, serving as the ferocious center of Marvin Lewis's defense.

At 6 feet 1 inch and 248 pounds, Burfict possessed elite football IQ, rapid-fire processing, and a bone-crushing physical presence over the middle. He cracked the starting lineup at weakside linebacker by Week 3 of his 2012 rookie campaign, compiling 127 combined tackles. He elevated his game to an all-pro level in 2013, leading the entire NFL with 171 combined tackles while adding 3.0 sacks and an interception. His dominant sophomore masterclass earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and his sole career Pro Bowl selection.

However, Burfict’s relentless style routinely crossed the threshold of legal play, resulting in a career defined as much by league discipline as elite instincts. After a severe concussion and knee surgery limited him to five games in 2014, he returned in 2015 to anchor another playoff run. That season ended in infamy during the 2015 AFC Wild Card Game against Pittsburgh, where Burfict delivered a brutal late hit to a defenseless Antonio Brown. The ensuing 15-yard penalty, paired with an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on Adam Jones, gifted the Steelers 30 field position yards to kick the game-winning field goal, cementing one of the most painful postseason collapses in Bengals history.

Suspensions for safety violations and banned substances repeatedly disrupted his availability over his final three seasons in Cincinnati (2016–2018). While his processing and diagnostic skills remained elite whenever he stepped on the field, he was never able to play a full 16-game slate again. Following the 2018 campaign, the Bengals released Burfict, and he spent one final, suspension-shortened season with the Oakland Raiders in 2019 before his NFL career ended.

Burfict played in 75 regular-season games (73 starts) and two playoff contests. He generated 604 combined tackles, 8.5 sacks, 34 tackles for loss, five interceptions, and four forced fumbles.

Playing his college ball at Ohio State, Pete Johnson was a Second Round Pick in 1977 by the Cincinnati Bengals.