Drafted in the seventh round (187th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft out of North Carolina Central, Louis Breeden arrived in Cincinnati as an unheralded small-school prospect whose professional journey nearly stalled before it started. After a severe injury forced him to spend his entire rookie season on injured reserve, Breeden returned with a vengeance, evolving into one of the most ball-hawking secondary anchors in franchise history.

Breeden broke through in 1978, securing the starting cornerback job and displaying rare closing speed, fluid hip transitions, and exceptional ball skills. By 1980, he was a true shutdown threat, intercepting seven passes to jumpstart a dominant multi-year run in the Bengals' secondary.

His most iconic moment came during the 1981 AFC Championship campaign: in a Week 10 clash against San Diego, Breeden intercepted a Dan Fouts pass deep in his own end zone and returned it 102 yards for a touchdown—a dramatic play that stood for decades as the longest interception return in team history.

Breeden reached the pinnacle of individual recognition in 1982, earning First-Team All-Pro honors after picking off four passes during the strike-shortened season. He remained a lockdown cornerstone on the outside through the mid-1980s, matching his career-high with another seven-interception campaign in 1986.  He retired following the 1987 season, capping a decade of high-level service spent entirely in Cincinnati.

With the Bengals, he generated 33 interceptions, 135 return yards, and two defensive touchdowns, trailing only Ken Riley on the franchise's all-time interception list.