Top 50 Cincinnati Bengals
If you want 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 three Super Bowls, losing the first two to the San Francisco 49ers and in 2020 to the Los Angeles Rams. While they have never been a champion, three Super Bowl appearances are the envy of a few teams in the NFL.
This list is up to the end of the 2024 regular season.
Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.
Selected in the tenth round (276th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft from the University of Wisconsin, Tim Krumrie developed from an overlooked underdog into one of the most productive interior defenders in the history of football. Throughout a 12-year career spent solely with Cincinnati, Krumrie transformed the role of nose tackle, combining exceptional physical resilience with sideline-to-sideline pursuit, thereby…
Cris Collinsworth was selected 37th overall in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft from Florida, where he earned Consensus All-American honors. He arrived in Cincinnati as a unique receiving talent, standing 6’5" with sprinter speed. His exceptional length and vertical ability allowed him to create immediate mismatches against smaller cornerbacks. During his eight-year career in Southwest Ohio, he…
David Fulcher, a rare defensive specimen, arrived in the third round (78th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft out of Arizona State. Known as "a safety in a linebacker's body," he revolutionized the strong safety position under defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, using his imposing size and hybrid skill set to anchor the secondary throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.…
Selected in the twelfth round (301st overall) of the 1968 AFL Draft from Utah, Bob Trumpy established one of the most exceptional return-on-investment careers in the history of professional football. Trumpy dedicated his entire 10-season playing tenure with Cincinnati (1968–1977), evolving from a late-round prospect into a distinguished vertical-passing asset in Coach Paul Brown’s early offensive strategies. Trumpy broke the…
Selected second overall in the 1968 AFL/NFL Draft out of Tennessee, Bob Johnson holds a unique place in Cincinnati Bengals lore as the very first draft pick in franchise history. Head coach Paul Brown coveted a brainy, dependable pivot to set the baseline for his expansion offense, and Johnson answered the call by locking down the starting center job from…
A product of Florida Atlantic, Trey Hendrickson spent his first four NFL seasons building a foundation with the New Orleans Saints before signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. It was in the jungle that he transformed into a game-wrecking edge rusher, becoming a premier force for Cincinnati's defense. Hendrickson relied on explosive initial get-off, exceptional dip-and-rip ankle flexion, and…
Carlos Dunlap arrived in Cincinnati as a second-round pick fresh off earning Defensive MVP honors in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. Possessing a massive 6-foot-6 frame, 34-inch arms, and rare length for an edge defender, Dunlap transformed from a pass-rush specialist into one of the most complete and durable defensive ends in franchise history. During his initial three seasons…
From American Samoa, Domata Peko was selected in the fourth round (123rd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Michigan State and became a beloved anchor along Cincinnati’s defensive front. Known for his flowing locks, boisterous energy, and immovable presence, Peko evolved from a rotational rookie into the heartbeat of Marvin Lewis’s defense. After his debut season in 2006,…
An eventual College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the University of North Dakota, Jim LeClair came to the Bengals in the 1972 Draft (3rd round, 54th overall) and spent 12 seasons with the Bengals (1972–1983). LeClair transformed from a special teams reserve into the hard-nosed, instinctive heart of Cincinnati's linebacker corps. LeClair possessed ideal size, sideline-to-sideline pursuit range, and…
With the third overall pick in 1977, the Bengals selected Eddie Edwards, who arrived in Cincinnati from Miami with a reputation as an unstoppable force along the line of scrimmage. A consensus All-American for the Hurricanes, Edwards gave Forrest Gregg and Bill Walsh an immediate, high-octane anchor to jumpstart the Bengals' defense. Edwards hit the ground running as an interior…
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…
Taken in the second round (31st overall) of the 1992 NFL Draft from Tennessee, Carl Pickens joined Cincinnati as a versatile, physical playmaker. With exceptional jumping and catching skills, reliable hands, and a formidable red-zone threat, Pickens swiftly became one of the most potent receiving options of the 1990s. Pickens started strong as a rookie in 1992, demonstrating his quickness…
Playing his college ball at Ohio State, Pete Johnson was a Second Round Pick in 1977 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
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…
Taken in the ninth round (231st overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft out of Holy Cross, physics major Bruce Kozerski arrived in Cincinnati as a deep-draft longshot. He spent his entire 12-year NFL career with the Bengals (1984–1995), earning the moniker "Mr. Versatile" for his rare ability to start at every position on the offensive line. Kozerski, standing 6 feet…
Eddie Brown proved to be worthy of Cincinnati’s 13th Overall Pick. Armed with fluid route-running, explosive top-end speed, and exceptional downfield tracking, Brown stepped in as the immediate vertical focus of the Bengals' aerial attack. Brown made an impressive start in 1985, achieving a remarkable debut season with 53 receptions for 942 yards and eight touchdowns, earning the AP Offensive…
Chosen in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson, Tee Higgins has provided the Cincinnati Bengals with a massive, reliable target on the outside. Possessing ideal size, an expansive catch radius, and exceptional body control along the boundary, Higgins formed one of the NFL's premier receiving tandems alongside Ja'Marr Chase, serving as a vital…
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…
Tommy Casanova was a second-round pick from LSU who had a legendary pedigree as a three-time consensus All-American and future College Football Hall of Famer. A rare multi-dimensional athlete who played both ways in college, Casanova brought fluid range, sharp instincts, and versatility to Paul Brown’s secondary. Casanova confidently entered the starting lineup as a rookie at free safety, instantly…
