- Only one Hall of Famer has played his entire career with the Bengals.
- Two Bengals have won MVP awards.
As of Nov. 9, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow is in the top 10 for NFL odds to win the MVP award at +2500. But he wouldn’t be the first Bengals quarterback to earn that honor, nor would he even be the second.
The history of the franchise doesn’t include much team success, and only one Hall of Famer played his entire career in Cincinnati. But many stars, including two MVP winners, have competed for the team.
Here’s a look at some of the greatest Bengals ever.
Ranking the Best Cincinnati Bengals Players of All Time
Rank | Player | Position | Years |
1 | Anthony Muñoz | OT | 1980-92 |
2 | Ken Anderson | QB | 1971-86 |
3 | Boomer Esiason | QB | 1984-92, 1997 |
4 | Chad Johnson | WR | 2001-10 |
5 | Ken Riley | DB | 1969-83 |
6 | Tim Krumrie | DL | 1983-94 |
7 | Cris Collinsworth | WR | 1981-88 |
8 | Isaac Curtis | WR | 1973-84 |
9 | Corey Dillon | RB | 1997-2003 |
10 | Jim Breech | K | 1980-92 |
10. Jim Breech
Kicker Jim Breech owns the Bengals all-time record with 1,151 points. During his time with Cincinnati, he made 225 of 313 field goals and 476 of 494 extra points.
9. Corey Dillon
Corey Dillon is the Bengals’ all-time rushing leader with 8,061 yards. The running back, who made the Pro Bowl four times, is also third with 45 rushing touchdowns.
8. Isaac Curtis
Bengals wide receiver Isaac Curtis made the Pro Bowl on four occasions. He’s third on the franchise’s all-time receiving list with 7,101 yards, behind only another member of this list and AJ Green, who is still playing but totaled 9,430 yards during his Cincinnati tenure.
7. Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth isn’t as high on Cincinnati’s all-time receiving list, as he’s fifth with 6,698 yards and sixth with 417 receptions, but he did that in only eight seasons. He made an impact quickly, earning a Pro Bowl nod each of his first three years in the league.
6. Tim Krumrie
Tim Krumrie is among the greatest defensive tackles in franchise history. In 188 games played, he totaled 1,017 tackles, 34.5 sacks and 13 fumble recoveries on the way to two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro selection.
5. Ken Riley
Ken Riley is the highest defender on this list. In 207 games with the Bengals, the one-time All-Pro defensive back is first on the Bengals all-time interceptions list with 65, which is 32 more than anyone else.
4. Chad Johnson
As Chad Johnson or Chad Ochocinco, the wide receiver was among the best at his position during his time. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro is first in the franchise record books for receiving yards (10,783) and catches (751).
3. Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason is one of the MVP (1988) quarterbacks who played for the Bengals. He’s third in franchise history in passing yards (27,149) and touchdowns (187) and accumulated four Pro Bowl and one All-Pro accolades.
2. Ken Anderson
Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson was the NFL MVP in 1981 and was an All-Pro that year while earning Pro Bowl recognition in four seasons. He’s also the franchise leader in passing yards (32,838) and is second in passing touchdowns (197).
1. Anthony Muñoz
Offensive tackle Anthony Muñoz is the only Hall of Famer who played his entire career with Cincinnati. He earned 11 Pro Bowl nods and nine All-Pro selections during his 13 seasons and 185 games played.