The Cincinnati Bengals’ 57-year history has had many ups and downs. During the 80s, the Bengals were like a roller coaster, playing in two Super Bowls, but losing both games. Cincinnati struggled to find success in the 90s, but since 2001, Cincinnati has had one of its most prosperous eras. Since 2001, the Bengals have gone to the playoffs nine times and have won the AFC North six times. The highest point for the Bengals in the 21st century was in 2021 when Joe Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl to face the Los Angeles Rams, ultimately losing by three points. Let’s take a close look at 10 of the players who have defined this prosperous era for the Cincinnati Bengals.
10. Cornerback Leon Hall
The Cincinnati Bengals selected cornerback Leon Hall in the 1st round of the 2007 NFL draft. Hall ended up spending nine seasons with the Bengals from 2007 until 2015. During his career in Cincinnati, Hall was honored as the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2007 and 2009, and an AP All-Pro in 2009. Hall’s legacy is his longevity due to the 121 games he played for Cincinnati in his career. Along with his ability to avoid significant injuries, Hall posted an impressive 367 solo tackles, 105 assists, 26 interceptions, including three interceptions that he returned for touchdowns, and two fumble recoveries.
9. Linebacker Vontaze Burfict
The teams in the AFC North have been well-known for having outstanding linebackers throughout their history. For the Cincinnati Bengals, the most iconic linebacker during the 21st century was the polarizing Vontaze Burfict. Burfict had a nasty reputation, along with backing that reputation up by being very physical. While Burfict commonly walked the line between being aggressive and chaotic, a line he crossed several times, Burfict gave the Bengals an identity of being tough defense. During his seven-year career with the Bengals, Burfict played in 75 games, recording 396 solo tackles, 208 assists, 8.5 quarterback sacks, five interceptions, five fumble recoveries, and four forced fumbles.
8. Defensive Tackle Domata Peko
From 2006 until 2016, the Cincinnati Bengals consistently had one of the best defensive line units in the NFL. A big part of that consistency was defensive tackle Domata Peko. Due to Peko’s versatility and toughness, he played in 171 games over a span of 11 seasons. During that period, Peko registered 263 solo tackles, 253 assists, 18.5 quarterback sacks, five fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles.
7. Defensive Tackle Geno Atkins
Another outstanding defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals was Geno Atkins. Like Peko, Atkins played 11 seasons for the Bengals, and he was known as a dominant force who disrupted opposing offenses, including pressuring their opponents’ quarterbacks. During his career with the Bengals, Atkins had 228 solo tackles, 156 assists, 75.5 quarterback sacks, eight forced fumbles, and two recovered fumbles, one of which Atkins returned for a touchdown. The NFL included Atkins on the 2010s All-Decade team, and he was honored as an All-Pro in 2012, 2015, and 2nd team All-Pro in 2011.
6. Offensive Tackle Andrew Whitworth
On the offensive side of the ball, offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth spent 11 seasons with the Bengals from 2006 until 2016. In 2017, Whitworth signed with the Los Angeles Rams and was a part of the Rams team that beat the Bengals in the Super Bowl. Over the years, Whitworth was durable and reliable, especially regarding pass protection. The 6’7″, 330-pound Whitworth played in 168 games for the Bengals and was named a Pro Bowler four times in his career. In 2015 and 2017, Whitworth received All-Pro honors. The exceptional left tackle also made his mark by being in a small group of offensive lineman that scored a touchdown in their career.
5. Defensive End Carlos Dunlap
Another defensive standout for the Cincinnati Bengals was defensive end Carlos Dunlap. During his 11 seasons with the Bengals, Dunlap established himself as an elite pass rusher with 99.5 quarterback sacks from 2010 until 2020. In 2010, Dunlap received Rookie of the Year honors from the PFWA. Dunlap played in 155 games for the Bengals, and he had 328 solo tackles, 162 assists, 22 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, and two interceptions that resulted in two defensive touchdowns.
4. Quarterback Andy Dalton
Since 2001, the Bengals have had success finding quarterbacks who could effectively lead their offense. Andy Dalton was a big part of the Bengals’ success in the 21st century while playing in 133 games after the Bengals drafted Dalton in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL draft. During his nine seasons with the Bengals, Dalton completed 2,757 out of 4,449 passes for 31,054 yards, which resulted in 204 passing touchdowns. The downside of Dalton’s success was his 118 interceptions, many of which came while the Bengals competed in playoff games. The 6’2″, 220-pound Dalton was a traditional pocket passer, but he also had the versatility to run the ball for 1,221 yards and score 22 rushing touchdowns.
3. Wide Receiver Chad Johnson
Another polarizing yet outstanding player in recent Bengals history is wide receiver Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson. Johnson was well-known for being a big talker and having an outgoing personality. During his 10-year career with the Bengals, Johnson caught 751 passes for 10,783 yards and scored 66 touchdowns. In 2005 and 2006, Johnson was honored as an NFL All-Pro. Cincinnati inducted Johnson into the Bengals Ring of Honor in 2023 to celebrate his team success and legacy with the Bengals franchise.
2. Quarterback Joe Burrow
Any list of the Cincinnati Bengals’ top players must include current quarterback Joe Burrow. In 2020, Burrow was the 1st overall draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals. During his second NFL season, Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl to face the Los Angeles Rams. In 2022, Burrow was named the FedEx Air Player of the year, and Burrow holds the ominous distinction of being the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year twice, including the 2021 and 2024 seasons. While only playing in 69 games so far, Burrow has completed 1,748 out of 2,547 passes for 19,001 yards. Burrow has thrown 140 touchdown passes and has only thrown 46 interceptions. In addition to his success as a passer, Burrow has also rushed for 866 yards and scored 12 rushing touchdowns in the first five seasons of his NFL career.
1. Wide Receiver AJ Green
In the 70s, the Bengals were one of the first teams to run a version of the “West Coast” offense while Bill Walsh was an assistant coach for Cincinnati. In the late 80s, the Bengals set another new standard for offense by implementing an up-tempo “No Huddle” offense. It makes sense that the Bengals’ top player in the 21st century is a transcendent offensive playmaker. In 2011, the Bengals drafted AJ Green out of the University of Georgia in the 1st round of the NFL draft. Green was an elite receiver for the Bengals for nine seasons and became a cornerstone for an explosive Bengals offense. During his career in Cincinnati, Green caught 649 passes for 9,430 yards, scored 70 touchdowns, and was selected for the Pro Bowl three times.
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