Selected fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Georgia, A.J. Green arrived in Cincinnati as the highest-drafted receiver in the class and an immediate game-changer. Stepping onto the field alongside fellow rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, Green launched a decade-defining partnership that transformed the Bengals into a perennial playoff contender.

Green was the prototype for a smooth, boundary-dominating wide receiver. Combining fluid stride length with an acrobatic catch radius and elite spatial awareness, he possessed an extraordinary ability to win contested 50/50 balls in tight coverage. Whether climbing over cornerbacks on back-shoulder fades, tracking deep vertical throws, or gliding down the sideline, Green made the most difficult catches look completely effortless.

Green burst onto the pro scene in 2011, immediately proving that his elite college production translated to the NFL. He recorded 65 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns, becoming the first rookie wide receiver to earn a Pro Bowl selection in eight years.

That debut sparked one of the most sustained runs of wide receiver dominance in league history, as Green earned a Pro Bowl selection in each of his first seven NFL seasons (2011–2017). In 2012, he recorded 97 catches for 1,350 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns, earning his first Second-Team All-Pro selection. The following year, in 2013, he topped those numbers with a career-best 98 receptions for 1,426 yards and 11 touchdowns—a stretch highlighted by a franchise-record five consecutive 100-yard games—to capture his second Second-Team All-Pro honor.

Green kept his 1,000-yard streak alive over the next two years, hauling in 10 touchdowns in 2015 to help power Cincinnati to a 12–4 AFC North division title. Despite missing six games due to an ankle injury in 2016, he still racked up 964 yards in just 10 games. He bounced back in 2017 with 75 catches for 1,078 yards and eight scores.

Over his first seven years, Green surpassed 1,000 yards six times and reached double-digit touchdowns three times. He ranked in the top ten in receiving yards three times and in receiving touchdowns four times during that span, firmly establishing himself among the elite receivers of his generation.

Injuries eventually slowed his dominant run, culminating in a torn ankle ligament that cost him the entire 2019 campaign. He returned for one final season in Cincinnati in 2020 before spending two years with the Arizona Cardinals. In September 2023, Green returned to the franchise to sign a one-day contract and officially retire as a Cincinnati Bengal.

With Cincinnati, Green played 127 games, recording 659 receptions, 9,430 yards, and 65 touchdowns, including a franchise-record 33 games with 100+ yards.