One of the few place kickers drafted (8th round in 1979 from the University of California), Jim Breech had his early NFL journey altered when the Oakland Raiders released him in favor of Chris Bahr. The Cincinnati Bengals seized the opportunity, claiming Breech off waivers in 1980 and securing a steady, clutch-kicking presence who would anchor their special teams unit for the next 13 seasons.

Breech, known for being compact and ice-cold under pressure, proved to be the ultimate cold-weather specialist at Riverfront Stadium. His quick-strike style and talent for performing in high-pressure moments made him a key figure during the franchise’s most successful period. Breech was one of the few players to contribute significantly to both Bengals Super Bowl teams in 1981 and 1988.

His postseason clutch ability is legendary: Breech was perfect with a 9-for-9 record on field goal attempts over nine playoff games, including making all four attempts in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII. Notably, his 40-yard field goal late in Super Bowl XXIII put Cincinnati ahead 16–13 with just over three minutes left. He also set an NFL record by winning nine overtime games with walk-off field goals, never missing in any extra period.

Breech achieved high-volume efficiency during the 1980s, ranking in the top ten for field goal percentage and total points five times. In 1988, he led the NFL with 53 extra points, contributing to the league's highest-scoring offense and reaching the AFC Championship.

He was Cincinnati’s full-time placekicker until 1992, then retired. Breech played 181 regular-season and nine postseason games, making 225 field goals and 349 extra points for 1,151 points, still a franchise record.