The Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor is a roll call of the franchise’s most important names, a group built around players and coaches who left a real mark on team history.
Ken Riley joined the Ring of Honor in 2021, with his son, Ken Riley II, accepting the honor on his behalf. Also inducted that year were Anthony Muñoz, the former tackle who spent 13 seasons with the Bengals, Paul Brown, the founder and first head coach of both the Bengals and Cleveland Browns, and Ken Anderson, the former quarterback who played 16 seasons with the team.
The next wave came in 2022, when Willie Anderson and Isaac Curtis were added. Willie Anderson played 12 seasons with the Bengals, while Curtis also spent 12 seasons with the franchise as a wide receiver.
In 2023, the Bengals honored Boomer Esiason and Chad Johnson. Esiason played 10 seasons in Cincinnati as a quarterback, and Johnson also spent 10 seasons with the Bengals as a wide receiver.
Corey Dillon was inducted in 2024, along with Tim Krumrie. Krumrie played 12 seasons with the Bengals and later coached the team’s defensive line for eight years.
Dave Lapham entered the Ring of Honor in 2025. The former guard played 10 seasons with the Bengals and later became a radio broadcaster for the team.
The list continues to grow. James Brooks is set to be inducted in 2026. Brooks, a former running back, played eight seasons with the Bengals.
Another name tied to the Ring of Honor is the former tight end who played 10 seasons with the Bengals, caught the franchise’s first touchdown pass ever, and later became an NFL broadcaster.
In Other News...
Bengals Ring Of Honor Choice Will Hit Longtime Fans Hard
The Bengals are adding two more familiar names to their Ring of Honor this fall, a nod that should resonate with longtime fans who remember when the franchise was still building its identity. One was a four-time Pro Bowler who spent nearly a decade in Cincinnati before his playing days ended in 1977, while the other became one of the defining offensive players of the 1980s and early 90s, piling up the kind of production that still sits near the top of the team record book.
There is also a bittersweet edge to the announcement, because one of the honorees died in November and will be remembered in absentia when the ceremony arrives at Paycor Stadium. For a fan base that has watched generations of Bengals come and go, this is the sort of recognition that connects eras, honoring a tight end and a running back whose careers helped shape the franchise long before the current roster took the field. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Face An Uncomfortable Bobby Wagner Question At Linebacker
The Bengals linebacker room is still one of the more obvious places to look when evaluating how the roster is being built for the future, and Bobby Wagners name naturally enters the conversation because of what he still brings against the run. Cincinnati has young options in Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., but the contrast in experience and reliability is hard to ignore when the front office starts weighing short-term fixes against longer-term development.
Wagner also is not the kind of addition you make casually, especially for a team that has to keep an eye on how it wants to allocate money heading into 2026. A veteran of his stature would come with expectations, both in role and in cost, and that leaves the Bengals with an uncomfortable decision: whether to treat linebacker as a spot to patch now or a position they can afford to keep evaluating while the rest of the roster takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Fans Are About To Get A Huge Ring Of Honor Decision
The Bengals have opened another chapter in the short history of their Ring of Honor, announcing a new group of former players eligible for nomination as the franchise continues building out one of its most visible traditions. Since the honor was introduced in 2021, the team has steadily added names that helped shape different eras in Cincinnati, and this years pool again includes several players who left a lasting imprint on the franchise.
Among the eligible nominees are Geno Atkins, AJ Green and Andrew Whitworth, giving fans plenty to debate as the selection process moves forward. The team will add two former Bengals to the Ring of Honor this year, with more decisions still to come as the list gets narrowed and the latest class takes shape. [Read more 🡒]