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4. Ken Riley

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4. Ken Riley

There are many underappreciated players, but you could argue that Ken Riley had (while he played anyway) taken being snubbed to another level.  We will get there, but let’s look at his overall career first.

Riley played at Quarterback at Florida A&M, but like so many black Quarterbacks back then, the Bengals (who drafted him in the Sixth Round in 1969) converted him to Cornerback.  Regardless of the motivation, you can’t argue with the result, which had Riley record 65 Interceptions over a 15-year career spent entirely in Cincinnati.  

Riley's 65 picks are good enough for fourth all-time, and while the Bengals were mostly average or mediocre while he played, he was the most stable performer the team had.  As good as he was, Riley never was chosen for a Pro Bowl, which is a curious omission considering that he was a First Team All-Pro in his last year (1983), and had two Second Team All-Pro Selections in the 1970s.

Regardless, the Bengals fans knew how good Riley was and how lucky they were to have him.  In 2020, he was inducted as one of four members to the inaugural Bengals Ring of Honor, and in 2022, he received the ultimate accolade as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2022 as a Senior entrant.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Cornerback
  • Acquired: Selected in the 6th Round, 135th Overall in the NFL Draft 1/28/69.
  • Departed:

    Retired after the 1983 Season.

  • Games Played: 207
  • Notable Statistics:

    201 Games Started
    65 Interceptions
    596 Interception Return Yards
    5 Interception Return Touchdowns
    18 Fumble Recoveries
    96 Fumble Recovery Yards
    14 Kick Returns
    334 Kick Return Yards
    2 Receptions
    15 Receiving Yards
    133 Approximate Value

    7 Playoff Games
    3 Interceptions
    34 Interception Return Yards

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    First Team All-Pro (1983)
    Second Team All-Pro (1975 & 1976)

Last modified on Sunday, 09 July 2023 16:52

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