The Cincinnati Bengals were founded in 1968 and played their first two seasons as part of the American Football League before being included in the merger with the National Football League, where they have been an NFL team ever since. The Bengals have had an up-and-down rollercoaster existence in the NFL, but over the years they have been part of a number of interesting games and moments in league history. The team also has a number of great players. Here’s a look at five fun facts about the Cincinnati Bengals.
1. The Cincinnati Bengals lost their first professional football game when they were defeated by the San Diego Chargers 29-13 on September 6, 1968 in Southern California.
2. The all-time leader in passing yards for the Cincinnati Bengals is Ken Anderson, who served as the team’s quarterback from 1971 to 1986. Although not a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at the time from his retirement only five other quarterbacks in NFL history had thrown for more career yards than he did. Although he failed to earn a Super Bowl ring in 1981 when the team he quarterbacked lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the big game, Anderson would earn a Super Bowl ring 27 years later as the quarterbacks coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
3. When the Bengals debuted in 1968, former Cleveland Browns head coach Paul Brown held both the team’s general manager and head coaching positions, thanks in large part to the fact that he was also the team’s principal owner. . One of Brown’s assistant coaches while he was with the Bengals, and a man passed over for the head coaching job when Brown resigned in 1976, was future San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh. Coincidentally, the Bengals lost both of their Super Bowl appearances to the Walsh-coached 49ers teams.
4. The Cincinnati Bengals had AFL Rookie of the Year on their roster in his first two seasons in football. In 1968, running back Paul Robinson won the award, and then the following year, in 1969, quarterback Greg Cook won the award. The Bengals would not have a rookie of the year award winner again until 1985, when wide receiver Eddie Brown won the award.
5. The university from which the Cincinnati Bengals have recruited the most players over the years is Ohio State University. Some of the great players who joined the team from there include defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson, defensive back Ray Griffin, running back Archie Griffin, running back Pete Johnson and linebacker Steve Tovar.
Cincinnati Bengals fans are proud of their team, and with good reason. They have stuck with the team through the good and bad years and will continue to do so in the future as well. This is a great team and a valuable National Football League franchise.