Cincinnati Bengals
Encyclopedia
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football
team based in Cincinnati
, Ohio
. They are members of the AFC's North Division
in the National Football League
(NFL). The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team
in the American Football League
(AFL), and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL Merger
.
The Bengals are named after an earlier team that played from 1937–1941. They play their home games at Paul Brown Stadium
in Downtown Cincinnati. They have conducted summer training camp at Georgetown College in Georgetown
, Kentucky
since 1997. The Bengals played in Super Bowl XVI
and XXIII
.
roots where he coached the high school team known as the Tigers.
In 1967 an ownership group led by Paul Brown
was granted a franchise in the American Football League
. Brown named the team the Bengals in order "to give it a link with past professional football in Cincinnati." Another Bengals team had existed in the city and played in three previous American Football Leagues from 1937
to 1942
. The city's world-renowned zoo was also home to a rare white Bengal Tiger
. However, possibly as an insult to Art Modell
, or possibly as an homage to his own start as a head coach to the Massillon Tigers, Paul Brown chose the exact shade of orange used by his former team. He added black as the secondary color. Brown chose a very simple logo: the word "BENGALS" in black lettering. One of the potential helmet designs Brown rejected was a striped motif that was similar to the helmets adopted by the team in 1981
and which is still in use to this day; however, that design featured yellow stripes on a torquise helmet which were more uniform in width.
Brown was not a supporter of the rival American Football League, stating that "I didn't pay ten million dollars to be in the AFL." He only acquiesced to joining the AFL when he was guaranteed that the team would become an NFL franchise after the impending merger of the two leagues
.
There was also a complication: Major League Baseball
's Cincinnati Reds
were in need of a facility to replace the antiquated, obsolete Crosley Field
, which they had used since 1912
. Parking nightmares had plagued the city as far back as the 1950s, the little park lacked modern amenities, and New York City
, which in 1957
had lost both its National League
teams (the Dodgers
and the Giants
) to Los Angeles
and San Francisco, respectively, was actively courting Reds owner Powel Crosley. However, Crosley was adamant that the Reds remain in Cincinnati and tolerated worsening problems with the Crosley Field location, which were exacerbated by the Millcreek Expressway (I-75) project that ran alongside the park.
With assistance from Ohio governor James A. Rhodes, Hamilton County
and the Cincinnati city council agreed to build a single multi-purpose facility on the dilapidated riverfront section of the city. The new facility had to be ready by the opening of the 1970 NFL season
and was officially named Riverfront Stadium, which was its working title.
With the completion of the merger in 1970
, the Cleveland Browns were moved to the AFL-based American Football Conference and placed in the AFC Central, the same division as the Bengals. An instant rivalry was born
, fueled initially by Paul Brown's rivalry with Art Modell. The teams have since met on Monday Night Football
twice, the Bengals winning each time.
For their first two seasons, the Bengals played at Nippert Stadium
which is the current home of the University of Cincinnati
Bearcats
. The team conducted training camp at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio
, doing so through the 1996 preseason. The team finished its first season with a 3–11 record, although one bright spot was running back Paul Robinson
. Robinson rushed for 1,023 yards and was named the AFL Rookie of the Year.
Founder Paul Brown coached the team for its first eight seasons. One of Brown’s college draft strategies was to draft players with above-average intelligence. Punter/wide receiver Pat McInally
attended Harvard University
and linebacker Reggie Williams attended Dartmouth College
and served on Cincinnati city council while on the Bengals’ roster. Because of this policy, many former players were highly articulate and went on to have successful careers in commentary and broadcasting
as well as the arts. In addition, Brown had a knack for locating and recognizing pro football talent in unusual places.
In 1970 the Bengals moved to play at Riverfront Stadium, a home they shared with the Cincinnati Reds
until the team moved to Paul Brown Stadium
in 2000
. The team would reach the playoffs three times during that decade, but could not win any of those postseason games. In 1975
, the team
posted an 11–3 record, giving them what is to this day the highest winning percentage (.786) in franchise history. But it only earned them a Wild Card spot in the playoffs, behind the 12–2 Pittsburgh Steelers
, who went on to win the Super Bowl, and Bengals lost to the Oakland Raiders
31–28 in the divisional playoffs.
The Bengals would reach the Super Bowl twice during the 1980s, but lost both times to the San Francisco 49ers
. Then, after the team appeared in the playoffs in 1990
, Paul Brown died. He had already transferred control to his son, Mike Brown
, but was reported to still influence the daily operations of the team. The Bengals' fortunes changed for the worse as the team would post 14 consecutive non-winning seasons. They began to emerge from that dismal period into a new era of increased consistency, however, after hiring Marvin Lewis
as head coach in 2003. Carson Palmer
, the future star quarterback, was drafted in 2003
, but did not play a snap that whole season, as Jon Kitna
had a comeback year (voted NFL Comeback Player of the Year). Despite Kitna's success, Palmer was promoted to starting quarterback the following season
. Under Palmer, the team advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1990 in the 2005 season
, which marked the first time the team had a winning percentage above .500 since 1990.
The Bengals returned to the playoffs again in 2009
in a season that included the franchise's first ever division sweep. This was especially impressive since two of the teams swept by the Bengals (the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens) had both made it to the AFC Championship Game the previous season. Marvin Lewis was rewarded for the accomplishment with the NFL Coach of the Year Award.
Meanwhile, Paul Brown Stadium was built for the 2000 season
using private and public money. In tribute to his father, Mike Brown named the stadium after his father during a time when it was a trend in the NFL to accept corporate offers to have the stadium renamed for a corporation.
In the 2010 season
, the Bengals posted a 4-12 record.
When the team debuted in 1968, the Bengals' uniforms were modeled after the Cleveland Browns
. When Paul Brown was fired by Art Modell
, Brown still had ownership of the equipment used by Cleveland. So after the firing, Paul Brown packed up all his equipment, which he then used for his new team in Cincinnati. The Cleveland Browns' team colors were blue pink and purple then they changed to white black and orange, and their helmets were solid orange with a white dorsal stripe over the crest.
The Bengals' team colors were orange, black, and white, and their helmets were a similar shade of orange, with the only variations being the word "Bengals" in block letters on either side of the helmet and no stripe on the helmet. The Cincinnati Bengals were unique in the NFL as they did not have uniform numbers on the players sleeves until the 1980 season.
The team did not discard their Cleveland-like uniforms until 1981. During that year, a then-unique uniform design was introduced. Although the team kept black jerseys, white jerseys, and white pants, they were now trimmed with orange and black tiger stripes. The team also introduced orange helmets with black tiger stripes.
In 1997, the Bengals designed an alternate logo consisting of a leaping tiger, and it was added to the uniform sleeves. They also designed an alternate logo consisting of a Bengal's head facing to the left. However, the orange helmet with black tiger stripes continued to be the team's primary trademark.
In 2004, a new tiger stripe pattern and more accents were added to the uniforms. The black jerseys now featured orange sleeves, while the white jerseys began to use black sleeves and orange shoulders. A new logo consisting of an orange "B" covered with black tiger stripes was introduced. The team also started rotating black pants and debuted an alternate orange jersey.
The Bengals have primarily worn their black uniforms at home throughout their history, except during the 1970 season when the Bengals wore white at home for the entire season, and most of the 1971 season. In 2001, 2002, 2005 and onwards the Bengals wore white at home for preseason games as well as September home games due to the heat.
However in 2009 the team, along with the Miami Dolphins, despite being an AFL team, did not wear a throwback for the season due to the team not being an original AFL franchise.
, the head coach of the Bengals in 1988, along with offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet
, made the high-paced offense the standard modality for the ball club regardless of time remaining. By quickly setting up for the next play (often within 5–10 seconds after the last play despite being afforded 45 seconds) this hindered the other team's defense from substituting situational players, regrouping for tactics, and, some suggest, increased the defense's rate of fatigue (This is attributed to the belief that the offense dictates when a play starts so they tend to be more mentally relaxed and prepared for the start of a play where the defense must remain on a higher level of alert before the play starts). In response the NFL instituted several rules related to this tactic:
The hurry-up tactic was used by the franchise during the late 1980s while Sam Wyche was the coach. A rival for AFC supremacy during this time was the Buffalo Bills
, coached by Marv Levy
, who also used a version of the no-huddle offense starting with the 1989 season. The Bengals had beaten the Bills three times in 1988 (pre-season, regular season, and the AFC Championship Game. Marv Levy threatened to fake injuries if the Bengals used the "no-huddle" in the AFC Championship. Coach Wyche was notified that the Commissioner had ordered the "no-huddle" illegal for the game. The official notified Wyche and the Bengals' team just two hours before the game kickoff. Wyche asked to talk directly to the Commissioner and word immediately came back that the "no-huddle" would not be penalized. Coach Levy didn't fake injuries in the game, but installed his version the next year, 1989. The Gengals first used the "no-huddle" in 1984. Most of the high-profile games (the various games for AFC titles and regular season games) between the two led to these changes in NFL rules. Wyche also first used the timeout periods as an opportunity to bring his entire team to the sideline to talk to all eleven players, plus substitutes, at one time. This also allowed trainers time to treat a cut or bruise and equipment managers to repair an equipment defect.
Wyche recalled that before the '88 AFC title game the Buffalo Bills had seemingly convinced league officials to penalize the Bengals for running a no-huddle offense. In a statement made to the Bengals' press in 2005, he relayed "The NFL was nice enough to come to us an hour and 55 minutes before the game and tell us we would be given a 15-yard penalty every time we used it. Of course we had practiced it all week. We told them if they wanted to answer to the public for changing the competitive balance of the AFC championship game, that was up to them, but we were using it. They never dropped a flag."
, is the popular name for the high-percentage passing scheme designed by former Bengals assistant Bill Walsh. Walsh formulated what has become popularly known as the West Coast Offense during his tenure as assistant coach for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975, while working under the tutelage of mentor Paul Brown. Bengals quarterback Virgil Carter would be the first player to successfully implement Walsh's system, leading the NFL in pass completion percentage in 1971. Ken Anderson later replaced Carter as Cincinnati's starting QB, and was even more successful. In his 16-year career in the NFL, Anderson made four trips to the Pro Bowl, won four passing titles, was named NFL MVP in 1981, and set the record for completion percentage in a single season in 1982 (70.66%).
Ironically, the defense created to combat the West Coast Offense also came from Cincinnati. Then-Bengals defensive coordinator
Dick LeBeau
(who would later be the team's head coach from 2000–2002) created the zone blitz
in the 1980s in response to the West Coast Offense. Though the Bengals ran it with some success, like the West Coast Offense the scheme became more successful elsewhere, in this case with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers
, where LeBeau has served two stints as defensive coordinator. LeBeau has led both Bengals Super Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl appearances with Pittsburgh using the zone blitz.
r father, Paul Brown, resisting offers to sell the naming rights for the stadium.
, Anthony Munoz
and Cris Collinsworth
† Spent four of his nineteen NFL seasons with the Bengals.
, "ESPN 1530" and WEBN
-FM, with WLW
AM 700 joining in following the end of the Reds'
season through 2013. It was announced on May 4 by the Bengals, that beginning with the 2011 season that Dan Hoard was hired to replace Brad Johansen
as the main play-by-play man. The radio broadcast crew now consists of Hoard and former Bengals offensive lineman Dave Lapham
, who started in 1985.
Most preseason and regular season games, are telecast on WKRC-TV
, Local 12, the CBS
affiliate. The Current TV announcers for preseason games are Brad Johansen
play-by play, Anthony Munoz
color commentary and Mike Valpredo sideline reporter. With the addition of Dan Hoard to the radio broadcast crew, Brad Johansen
replaced Dan Hoard as the new TV play-by-play for preseason games. Games that feature an NFC opponent played at Paul Brown Stadium are televised on WXIX, Fox 19.
Phil Samp was the Bengals original play-by-play announcer from 1968-1990. Ken Broo (1991–1995), Paul Keels
(1996) and Pete Arbogast (1997–2000) and Brad Johansen
(2001–2010) have also done radio play-by-play for the Bengals.
of support by fans of the Cincinnati Bengals, in use for over 30 years. The entire chant is: "Who dey! Who dey! Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?" The answer screamed in unison, "Nobody!" Sometimes fans will instead shout "Who Dey" to represent the entire cheer. "Who Dey" is also the name of the team’s mascot
, a Bengal tiger
.
The Who Dey chant's first known use was by fans of the 1980 Cincinnati Bengals
. While the origin of the chant is unsettled, one possible source for the chant is a 1980 commercial for Red Frazier Ford of Cincinnati, which used this tagline: “Who’s going to give you a better deal than Red Frazier?...Nobody!” Cincinnati fans who had seen the commercial many times may have just copied it when cheering.
The chant bears some similarities to the phrase "Who Dat?
," which was officially adopted by the New Orleans Saints
in 1983 but had been used by Louisiana's high school team fans for some time. The saying “Who Dat?
" originated in minstrel shows and vaudeville acts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then it was taken up by New Orleans Jazz
and various Big band folks in the 1920s and 1930s. In the late 1960s, local Louisiana
High Schools, St. Augustine High School
in New Orleans and Patterson High School
are reported to have been using the cheer and Gulf Coast fans of Alcorn State University
and Louisiana State University
picked up the cheer in the 1970s. Southern University in New Orleans claims to have originated the cheer in the late 1960s in their version: "Who dat talkin' 'bout beatin' dem Jags." There is a long-standing debate between the Saints and Bengals fan bases over which one originated the chant from their culture.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. They are members of the AFC's North Division
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
(AFL), and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL Merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
.
The Bengals are named after an earlier team that played from 1937–1941. They play their home games at Paul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and...
in Downtown Cincinnati. They have conducted summer training camp at Georgetown College in Georgetown
Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
since 1997. The Bengals played in Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
and XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
.
Franchise history
The franchise takes its name from an earlier Cincinnati Bengals team, which played from 1937–1941. It also was a nod to Paul Brown's Massillon, OhioMassillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
roots where he coached the high school team known as the Tigers.
In 1967 an ownership group led by Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
was granted a franchise in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
. Brown named the team the Bengals in order "to give it a link with past professional football in Cincinnati." Another Bengals team had existed in the city and played in three previous American Football Leagues from 1937
1937 American Football League season
The 1937 American Football League season is the second season of the second edition of the AFL. After the folding of the Syracuse/Rochester Braves in the 1936 season and the departure of the Cleveland Rams for the National Football League, the league added the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles...
to 1942
1942 in sports
1942 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:...
. The city's world-renowned zoo was also home to a rare white Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
. However, possibly as an insult to Art Modell
Art Modell
Arthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
, or possibly as an homage to his own start as a head coach to the Massillon Tigers, Paul Brown chose the exact shade of orange used by his former team. He added black as the secondary color. Brown chose a very simple logo: the word "BENGALS" in black lettering. One of the potential helmet designs Brown rejected was a striped motif that was similar to the helmets adopted by the team in 1981
1981 in sports
1981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland-American football:...
and which is still in use to this day; however, that design featured yellow stripes on a torquise helmet which were more uniform in width.
Brown was not a supporter of the rival American Football League, stating that "I didn't pay ten million dollars to be in the AFL." He only acquiesced to joining the AFL when he was guaranteed that the team would become an NFL franchise after the impending merger of the two leagues
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
.
There was also a complication: Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
were in need of a facility to replace the antiquated, obsolete Crosley Field
Crosley Field
Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...
, which they had used since 1912
1912 Major League Baseball season
Harper's Weekly conducted a detailed accounting of the expenses of Major League clubs, and came up with a figure of $175,000 to $200,000.-Statistical leaders:-External links:*...
. Parking nightmares had plagued the city as far back as the 1950s, the little park lacked modern amenities, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which in 1957
1957 Major League Baseball season
The 1957 Major League Baseball season involved the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants playing their final seasons as New York-based franchises before their moves to California for the following season, leaving New York without a National League team until the birth of the Mets in...
had lost both its National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
teams (the Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and the Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
) to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and San Francisco, respectively, was actively courting Reds owner Powel Crosley. However, Crosley was adamant that the Reds remain in Cincinnati and tolerated worsening problems with the Crosley Field location, which were exacerbated by the Millcreek Expressway (I-75) project that ran alongside the park.
With assistance from Ohio governor James A. Rhodes, Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
and the Cincinnati city council agreed to build a single multi-purpose facility on the dilapidated riverfront section of the city. The new facility had to be ready by the opening of the 1970 NFL season
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
and was officially named Riverfront Stadium, which was its working title.
With the completion of the merger in 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
, the Cleveland Browns were moved to the AFL-based American Football Conference and placed in the AFC Central, the same division as the Bengals. An instant rivalry was born
Battle of Ohio (NFL)
In the National Football League, the Battle of Ohio refers to games played between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. This rivalry has produced 2 of the 8 highest scoring games in NFL history...
, fueled initially by Paul Brown's rivalry with Art Modell. The teams have since met on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
twice, the Bengals winning each time.
For their first two seasons, the Bengals played at Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio is the University of Cincinnati's football stadium, home to their Bearcats football team in rudimentary form since 1901, and as a complete stadium since 1924, making it the fourth oldest playing site and fifth oldest stadium in college football.In 1895, the...
which is the current home of the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
. The team conducted training camp at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio
Wilmington, Ohio
Wilmington is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,520 at the 2010 census. At city entrances from state routes, county roads, and U.S. highways, the city slogan of "We Honor Our Champions" is seen, accompanied by signs that highlight various...
, doing so through the 1996 preseason. The team finished its first season with a 3–11 record, although one bright spot was running back Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson (American football player)
Paul Harvey Robinson is a former professional American football running back for two seasons in the American Football League and five seasons in the National Football League. Paul Robinson played only one year at the University of Arizona, but in his first year as a professional, he gained 1,023...
. Robinson rushed for 1,023 yards and was named the AFL Rookie of the Year.
Founder Paul Brown coached the team for its first eight seasons. One of Brown’s college draft strategies was to draft players with above-average intelligence. Punter/wide receiver Pat McInally
Pat McInally
John Patrick "Pat" McInally , is a former punter and wide receiver for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1976 to 1985.-Early career:...
attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and linebacker Reggie Williams attended Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and served on Cincinnati city council while on the Bengals’ roster. Because of this policy, many former players were highly articulate and went on to have successful careers in commentary and broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
as well as the arts. In addition, Brown had a knack for locating and recognizing pro football talent in unusual places.
In 1970 the Bengals moved to play at Riverfront Stadium, a home they shared with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
until the team moved to Paul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and...
in 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
. The team would reach the playoffs three times during that decade, but could not win any of those postseason games. In 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
, the team
1975 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1975 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's eighth year in professional football and its sixth with the National Football League.The Bengals opened with six straight wins and went on to post an 11–3 record, their best regular-season mark. The Bengals qualified as the AFC wild card team for...
posted an 11–3 record, giving them what is to this day the highest winning percentage (.786) in franchise history. But it only earned them a Wild Card spot in the playoffs, behind the 12–2 Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 1975 season defending their AFC Central and Super Bowl IX titles from the 1974 season. Throughout the 1975 season they not only improved on their 10–3–1 record from the previous year, but once again won the AFC Central Division Title and their second franchise...
, who went on to win the Super Bowl, and Bengals lost to the Oakland Raiders
1975 Oakland Raiders season
-Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Oakland Raiders 10:-Awards and honors:*George Blanda, most seasons in American professional football *George Blanda, most games played, -References:**...
31–28 in the divisional playoffs.
The Bengals would reach the Super Bowl twice during the 1980s, but lost both times to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. Then, after the team appeared in the playoffs in 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
, Paul Brown died. He had already transferred control to his son, Mike Brown
Mike Brown (football team owner)
Michael "Mike" Brown is the owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, an American football team in the National Football League. He is the son of former Cleveland Browns, Ohio State University and Cincinnati Bengals coach/co-founder, Paul Brown....
, but was reported to still influence the daily operations of the team. The Bengals' fortunes changed for the worse as the team would post 14 consecutive non-winning seasons. They began to emerge from that dismal period into a new era of increased consistency, however, after hiring Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
as head coach in 2003. Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
, the future star quarterback, was drafted in 2003
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, but did not play a snap that whole season, as Jon Kitna
Jon Kitna
Jon K. Kitna is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
had a comeback year (voted NFL Comeback Player of the Year). Despite Kitna's success, Palmer was promoted to starting quarterback the following season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
. Under Palmer, the team advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1990 in the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, which marked the first time the team had a winning percentage above .500 since 1990.
The Bengals returned to the playoffs again in 2009
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
in a season that included the franchise's first ever division sweep. This was especially impressive since two of the teams swept by the Bengals (the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens) had both made it to the AFC Championship Game the previous season. Marvin Lewis was rewarded for the accomplishment with the NFL Coach of the Year Award.
Meanwhile, Paul Brown Stadium was built for the 2000 season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
using private and public money. In tribute to his father, Mike Brown named the stadium after his father during a time when it was a trend in the NFL to accept corporate offers to have the stadium renamed for a corporation.
In the 2010 season
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
, the Bengals posted a 4-12 record.
Logos and uniforms
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. When Paul Brown was fired by Art Modell
Art Modell
Arthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
, Brown still had ownership of the equipment used by Cleveland. So after the firing, Paul Brown packed up all his equipment, which he then used for his new team in Cincinnati. The Cleveland Browns' team colors were blue pink and purple then they changed to white black and orange, and their helmets were solid orange with a white dorsal stripe over the crest.
The Bengals' team colors were orange, black, and white, and their helmets were a similar shade of orange, with the only variations being the word "Bengals" in block letters on either side of the helmet and no stripe on the helmet. The Cincinnati Bengals were unique in the NFL as they did not have uniform numbers on the players sleeves until the 1980 season.
The team did not discard their Cleveland-like uniforms until 1981. During that year, a then-unique uniform design was introduced. Although the team kept black jerseys, white jerseys, and white pants, they were now trimmed with orange and black tiger stripes. The team also introduced orange helmets with black tiger stripes.
In 1997, the Bengals designed an alternate logo consisting of a leaping tiger, and it was added to the uniform sleeves. They also designed an alternate logo consisting of a Bengal's head facing to the left. However, the orange helmet with black tiger stripes continued to be the team's primary trademark.
In 2004, a new tiger stripe pattern and more accents were added to the uniforms. The black jerseys now featured orange sleeves, while the white jerseys began to use black sleeves and orange shoulders. A new logo consisting of an orange "B" covered with black tiger stripes was introduced. The team also started rotating black pants and debuted an alternate orange jersey.
The Bengals have primarily worn their black uniforms at home throughout their history, except during the 1970 season when the Bengals wore white at home for the entire season, and most of the 1971 season. In 2001, 2002, 2005 and onwards the Bengals wore white at home for preseason games as well as September home games due to the heat.
However in 2009 the team, along with the Miami Dolphins, despite being an AFL team, did not wear a throwback for the season due to the team not being an original AFL franchise.
No Huddle Offense
A No-Huddle Offense was commonly used by all teams when time in the game was running low. However, Sam WycheSam Wyche
Samuel David "Sam" Wyche is a former American football player and head coach, who is best known as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL...
, the head coach of the Bengals in 1988, along with offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet
Bruce Coslet
Bruce Coslet is a former American college and professional football player and professional football coach. A tight end, he played for the University of the Pacific and in 1969 debuted with the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
, made the high-paced offense the standard modality for the ball club regardless of time remaining. By quickly setting up for the next play (often within 5–10 seconds after the last play despite being afforded 45 seconds) this hindered the other team's defense from substituting situational players, regrouping for tactics, and, some suggest, increased the defense's rate of fatigue (This is attributed to the belief that the offense dictates when a play starts so they tend to be more mentally relaxed and prepared for the start of a play where the defense must remain on a higher level of alert before the play starts). In response the NFL instituted several rules related to this tactic:
- Allowing the defense ample time for substitutions (if offensive substitutions are made);
- If a player's injury causes the play-clock to stop, the player must sit out at least one play; and
- Charging a time-out to a team when a player is injured within a certain time period of the game.
The hurry-up tactic was used by the franchise during the late 1980s while Sam Wyche was the coach. A rival for AFC supremacy during this time was the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, coached by Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
, who also used a version of the no-huddle offense starting with the 1989 season. The Bengals had beaten the Bills three times in 1988 (pre-season, regular season, and the AFC Championship Game. Marv Levy threatened to fake injuries if the Bengals used the "no-huddle" in the AFC Championship. Coach Wyche was notified that the Commissioner had ordered the "no-huddle" illegal for the game. The official notified Wyche and the Bengals' team just two hours before the game kickoff. Wyche asked to talk directly to the Commissioner and word immediately came back that the "no-huddle" would not be penalized. Coach Levy didn't fake injuries in the game, but installed his version the next year, 1989. The Gengals first used the "no-huddle" in 1984. Most of the high-profile games (the various games for AFC titles and regular season games) between the two led to these changes in NFL rules. Wyche also first used the timeout periods as an opportunity to bring his entire team to the sideline to talk to all eleven players, plus substitutes, at one time. This also allowed trainers time to treat a cut or bruise and equipment managers to repair an equipment defect.
Wyche recalled that before the '88 AFC title game the Buffalo Bills had seemingly convinced league officials to penalize the Bengals for running a no-huddle offense. In a statement made to the Bengals' press in 2005, he relayed "The NFL was nice enough to come to us an hour and 55 minutes before the game and tell us we would be given a 15-yard penalty every time we used it. Of course we had practiced it all week. We told them if they wanted to answer to the public for changing the competitive balance of the AFC championship game, that was up to them, but we were using it. They never dropped a flag."
West Coast Offense/Paul Brown's Offense & the Zone Blitz
The West Coast OffenseWest Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
, is the popular name for the high-percentage passing scheme designed by former Bengals assistant Bill Walsh. Walsh formulated what has become popularly known as the West Coast Offense during his tenure as assistant coach for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975, while working under the tutelage of mentor Paul Brown. Bengals quarterback Virgil Carter would be the first player to successfully implement Walsh's system, leading the NFL in pass completion percentage in 1971. Ken Anderson later replaced Carter as Cincinnati's starting QB, and was even more successful. In his 16-year career in the NFL, Anderson made four trips to the Pro Bowl, won four passing titles, was named NFL MVP in 1981, and set the record for completion percentage in a single season in 1982 (70.66%).
Ironically, the defense created to combat the West Coast Offense also came from Cincinnati. Then-Bengals defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Dick LeBeau
Dick LeBeau
Charles Richard “Dick” LeBeau is a National Football League Hall of Fame defensive back. He is currently the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator and is considered to be one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time. He spent 14 years in the NFL as a player with the Detroit Lions and...
(who would later be the team's head coach from 2000–2002) created the zone blitz
Zone blitz
The zone blitz is a common method of defensive pressure applied in American football, usually at the collegiate and professional levels. It exists in nearly limitless permutations, all of which share the common theme of confusing the offensive line by dropping pass-rushers into coverage, while at...
in the 1980s in response to the West Coast Offense. Though the Bengals ran it with some success, like the West Coast Offense the scheme became more successful elsewhere, in this case with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, where LeBeau has served two stints as defensive coordinator. LeBeau has led both Bengals Super Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl appearances with Pittsburgh using the zone blitz.
Paul Brown Stadium
Mike Brown, the current owner of the Bengals, named the new stadium after his Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
r father, Paul Brown, resisting offers to sell the naming rights for the stadium.
Players of note
Ken Anderson, Boomer EsiasonBoomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, Anthony Munoz
Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
and Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
Pro Football Hall of Famers
- Anthony MuñozAnthony MuñozMichael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
, OL - Charlie JoinerCharlie JoinerCharles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...
, WR†
† Spent four of his nineteen NFL seasons with the Bengals.
NFL Most Valuable Player
- Ken Anderson, 1981
- Boomer EsiasonBoomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, 1988
AFL/NFL Rookie of the Year
- Paul RobinsonPaul Robinson (American football player)Paul Harvey Robinson is a former professional American football running back for two seasons in the American Football League and five seasons in the National Football League. Paul Robinson played only one year at the University of Arizona, but in his first year as a professional, he gained 1,023...
, 1968 - Greg CookGreg CookGregory Lynn Cook , is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback.-Early career:...
, 1969 - Eddie Brown, 1985
- Carl PickensCarl PickensCarl McNally Pickens is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL who played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans....
, 1992
Head coaches
- Paul BrownPaul BrownPaul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
(1968–1975) - Bill "Tiger" Johnson (1976–1978)
- Homer RiceHomer RiceHomer Rice was a college athletic director and football coach. From 1967 to 1968, he served as the head football coach at Cincinnati, where he compiled an 8-10-1 record. From 1976 to 1977, he coached at Rice, where he compiled a 4-18 record...
(1978–1979) - Forrest GreggForrest GreggAlvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
(1980–1983) - Sam WycheSam WycheSamuel David "Sam" Wyche is a former American football player and head coach, who is best known as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL...
(1984–1991) - Dave ShulaDave ShulaDavid Donald Shula is a former American football player and coach. The son of famed National Football League coach Don Shula and brother of Mike Shula, he now works with his father in the family's restaurant business, Shula's Steak Houses....
(1992–1996) - Bruce CosletBruce CosletBruce Coslet is a former American college and professional football player and professional football coach. A tight end, he played for the University of the Pacific and in 1969 debuted with the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
(1996–2000) - Dick LeBeauDick LeBeauCharles Richard “Dick” LeBeau is a National Football League Hall of Fame defensive back. He is currently the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator and is considered to be one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time. He spent 14 years in the NFL as a player with the Detroit Lions and...
(2000–2002) - Marvin LewisMarvin LewisMarvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
(2003–present)
Radio and television
The Bengals flagship radio stations are WCKYWCKY (AM)
WCKY is an AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, broadcasting at 1530 kHz with 50,000 watts, and its transmitter is located in nearby Villa Hills, Kentucky. It is a class A clear channel station, sharing the frequency with KFBK in Sacramento, and can be heard, particularly at night, over most...
, "ESPN 1530" and WEBN
WEBN
WEBN is a commercial radio station serving Greater Cincinnati, airing an album-oriented rock format. The station pioneered the concept of album-oriented rock, and is in fact the longest running AOR-formatted station in the United States, first airing this format in 1967. The station is owned...
-FM, with WLW
WLW
WLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM...
AM 700 joining in following the end of the Reds'
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
season through 2013. It was announced on May 4 by the Bengals, that beginning with the 2011 season that Dan Hoard was hired to replace Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen is the former radio play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Bengals, He is the current play-by-play TV announcer for Bengals preseason games along with, being the current play-by-play announcer for the Xavier University men's basketball telecasts and High School Football broadcasts...
as the main play-by-play man. The radio broadcast crew now consists of Hoard and former Bengals offensive lineman Dave Lapham
Dave Lapham
Dave Lapham , is a former professional football offensive lineman for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League's New Jersey Generals...
, who started in 1985.
Most preseason and regular season games, are telecast on WKRC-TV
WKRC-TV
WKRC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Tri-State area of Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana that is licensed to Cincinnati. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter at its studios on Highland Avenue in the Mount...
, Local 12, the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. The Current TV announcers for preseason games are Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen is the former radio play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Bengals, He is the current play-by-play TV announcer for Bengals preseason games along with, being the current play-by-play announcer for the Xavier University men's basketball telecasts and High School Football broadcasts...
play-by play, Anthony Munoz
Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
color commentary and Mike Valpredo sideline reporter. With the addition of Dan Hoard to the radio broadcast crew, Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen is the former radio play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Bengals, He is the current play-by-play TV announcer for Bengals preseason games along with, being the current play-by-play announcer for the Xavier University men's basketball telecasts and High School Football broadcasts...
replaced Dan Hoard as the new TV play-by-play for preseason games. Games that feature an NFC opponent played at Paul Brown Stadium are televised on WXIX, Fox 19.
Phil Samp was the Bengals original play-by-play announcer from 1968-1990. Ken Broo (1991–1995), Paul Keels
Paul Keels
Paul Keels is the current play-by-play announcer for Ohio State University's football and men's basketball teams for WBNS Radio and the Ohio State Buckeyes Radio Network....
(1996) and Pete Arbogast (1997–2000) and Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen
Brad Johansen is the former radio play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Bengals, He is the current play-by-play TV announcer for Bengals preseason games along with, being the current play-by-play announcer for the Xavier University men's basketball telecasts and High School Football broadcasts...
(2001–2010) have also done radio play-by-play for the Bengals.
Radio Affiliates
http://www.bengals.com/multimedia/on-the-air.html List of Radio AffiliatesOhio
| City | Call Sign | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Athens Athens, Ohio Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ... |
WATH WATH WATH is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits format. Licensed to Athens, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by WATH, Inc. and features programing from CBS Radio, Fox Sports Radio and Westwood One.... -AM |
970 AM |
| Canton Canton, Ohio Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
WTIG WTIG WTIG is an AM radio station in Massillon, Ohio operating on 990 kHz and featuring sports talk programming from ESPN Radio. Despite being in northeast Ohio, the station is an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Columbus Blue Jackets radio networks. WTIG is also an... -AM |
990 AM |
| Celina Celina, Ohio Celina is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Ohio, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2000 census. Celina is situated on the western shores of Grand Lake St. Marys.-History:... |
WCSM-FM WCSM-FM WCSM-FM is an American FM radio station broadcasting at 96.7 MHz in Celina, Ohio. The station features a full-service Hot Adult Contemporary format with local news, weather, sports and agricultural programming... |
96.7 FM |
| Chillicothe Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of... |
WBEX WBEX WBEX is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Chillicothe, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Citicasters Licenses, L.P. and features programing from Fox News Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One.... -AM |
1490 AM |
| Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
WCKY WCKY (AM) WCKY is an AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, broadcasting at 1530 kHz with 50,000 watts, and its transmitter is located in nearby Villa Hills, Kentucky. It is a class A clear channel station, sharing the frequency with KFBK in Sacramento, and can be heard, particularly at night, over most... -AM |
1530 AM |
| Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
WEBN WEBN WEBN is a commercial radio station serving Greater Cincinnati, airing an album-oriented rock format. The station pioneered the concept of album-oriented rock, and is in fact the longest running AOR-formatted station in the United States, first airing this format in 1967. The station is owned... -FM |
102.7 FM |
| Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
WLW WLW WLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM... -AM |
700 AM |
| Columbus Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city... |
WYTS-AM | 1230 AM |
| Dayton Dayton, Ohio Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census... |
WTUE WTUE WTUE is a classic rock formatted radio station with studios in Dayton, Ohio. Its transmitter is located in Moraine, Ohio and can be heard clearly throughout Southwest Ohio, including in Cincinnati.... -FM |
104.7 FM |
| Fostoria Fostoria, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 13,931 people, 5,565 households, and 3,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,917.6 people per square mile . There were 6,024 housing units at an average density of 829.2 per square mile... |
WBVI WBVI WBVI is a commercially licensed radio station, broadcasting from Fostoria, Ohio, but is marketed as a Findlay radio station. WBVI is owned and operated by the Roppe Corporation, but does business as TCB Holdings, Inc. It airs a Hot Adult Contemporary music format.-History: Beginnings as... -FM |
96.7 FM |
| Hillsboro Hillsboro, Ohio Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at .... |
WSRW WSRW (AM) WSRW is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Hillsboro, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications and features programming from Premiere Radio Networks.... -AM |
1590 AM |
| Lima Lima, Ohio Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo.... |
WIMA WIMA (AM) WIMA "The Talk Station" is a commercial AM broadcasting station operating at 1150 kHz in Lima, Ohio owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications which also operates FM sister stations WIMT, WLWD, WZRX-FM and WMLX from its studio and office location on West Market Street. Its transmitter... -AM |
1150 AM |
| Logan Logan, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 6,704 people, 2,790 households, and 1,768 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,175.2 people per square mile . There were 2,948 housing units at an average density of 956.5 per square mile... |
WLGN WLGN WLGN is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Logan, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Wlgn, LLC and features programing from ESPN Radio.... -AM |
1510 AM |
| Marietta Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth... |
WMOA WMOA WMOA is a Class C radio station which broadcasts at 1490 kHz, with its signal originating from the city of Marietta, Ohio. The 1000-watt station covers much of the Mid-Ohio Valley, which includes parts of Southeastern Ohio and Northwestern West Virginia around the cities of Marietta and... -AM |
1490 AM |
| Middleport Middleport, Ohio Middleport is a village in Meigs County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,525 at the 2000 census.Middleport was the home of Walter "Mother" Watson, a Major League Baseball pitcher.-Geography:... |
WMPO WMPO WMPO is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Middleport, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Positive Radio Group, Inc... -AM |
1390 AM |
| Portsmouth Portsmouth, Ohio Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:... |
WIOI WIOI WIOI is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format. Licensed to New Boston, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Maillet Media, Inc. and features programing from Jones Radio Network.-History:... -AM |
1010 AM |
| Washington Court House Washington Court House, Ohio Washington Court House is a city in Fayette County, Ohio, United States. It is the county seat of Fayette County and is located approximately halfway between Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. The population was 14,192 in 2010 at the 2010 census... |
WCHO-FM WCHO-FM WCHO-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Washington Court House, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Citicasters Licenses, L.P... |
105.5 FM |
| Zanesville Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio... |
WHIZ WHIZ (AM) WHIZ is a radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Zanesville, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting System, Inc. and features programing from ABC Radio , ESPN Radio and Westwood One.-History:... -AM |
1240 AM |
Kentucky
| City | Call Sign | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland Ashland, Kentucky Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the... |
WCMI-AM | 1340 AM |
| Lexington Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region... |
WLAP WLAP WLAP is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Lexington, Kentucky, USA, the station serves the Central Kentucky region. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications of Lexington and features programing from Fox News Radio.-History:About 1912,... -AM |
630 AM |
| Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096... |
WKRD WKRD (AM) WKRD is a sports talk formatted radio station in the Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area. It is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications, and is known as My Sports 790... -AM |
790 AM |
| Paintsville Paintsville, Kentucky -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 4,132 people, 1,681 households, and 1,079 families residing in the city. The population density was 786.1 people per square mile . There were 1,901 housing units at an average density of 361.7 per square mile... |
WKYH WKYH WKYH is a radio station broadcasting a news-talk format. Licensed to Paintsville, Kentucky. The station was licensed in 1984 and first began broadcasting in March 1985.... -AM |
600 AM |
| Somerset Somerset, Kentucky The major demographic differences between the city and the micropolitan area relate to income, housing composition and age. The micropolitan area, as compared to the incorporated city, is more suburban in flavor and has a significantly younger housing stock, a higher income, and contains most of... |
WTLO-AM | 1480 AM |
Indiana
| City | Call Sign | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Washington, Indiana Washington is a city in Daviess County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,509 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Daviess County.-History:... |
WAMW-FM WAMW-FM WAMW-FM is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Washington, Indiana, USA. The station is currently owned by DLC Media and features programing from ABC Radio and Jones Radio Network.-History:... |
107.9 FM |
West Virginia
| City | Call Sign | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at... |
WRVC WRVC (AM) WRVC is the oldest operating radio station in West Virginia. It was originally called WSAZ Radio , the same call letters used for Channel 3-TV when it came into being in the late 1940s, and the television station still uses that long-time call. WRVC AM & FM is located in Huntington, West Virginia... -AM |
930 AM |
| Ravenswood Ravenswood, West Virginia Ravenswood is a city in Jackson County, West Virginia, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 4,031 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ravenswood is located at , along the Ohio River at the mouth of Sandy Creek.... |
WMOV | 1360 AM |
Chant
"Who Dey" is the name of a chantChant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
of support by fans of the Cincinnati Bengals, in use for over 30 years. The entire chant is: "Who dey! Who dey! Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?" The answer screamed in unison, "Nobody!" Sometimes fans will instead shout "Who Dey" to represent the entire cheer. "Who Dey" is also the name of the team’s mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
, a Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
.
The Who Dey chant's first known use was by fans of the 1980 Cincinnati Bengals
1980 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1980 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 13th year in professional football and its 11th with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-References:* * *...
. While the origin of the chant is unsettled, one possible source for the chant is a 1980 commercial for Red Frazier Ford of Cincinnati, which used this tagline: “Who’s going to give you a better deal than Red Frazier?...Nobody!” Cincinnati fans who had seen the commercial many times may have just copied it when cheering.
The chant bears some similarities to the phrase "Who Dat?
Who Dat?
Who dat? is an English idiom originating from New Orleans for over a century. First referenced in poetry, the phrase was a common dialogue element between the performers and crowd at traveling minstrel shows in the region. Eventually, the phrase became used in US cinematic productions for two...
," which was officially adopted by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in 1983 but had been used by Louisiana's high school team fans for some time. The saying “Who Dat?
Who Dat?
Who dat? is an English idiom originating from New Orleans for over a century. First referenced in poetry, the phrase was a common dialogue element between the performers and crowd at traveling minstrel shows in the region. Eventually, the phrase became used in US cinematic productions for two...
" originated in minstrel shows and vaudeville acts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then it was taken up by New Orleans Jazz
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
and various Big band folks in the 1920s and 1930s. In the late 1960s, local Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
High Schools, St. Augustine High School
St. Augustine High School (New Orleans)
St. Augustine High School or "St. Aug" is an all-boys parochial high school in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It was founded in 1951 and covers grades 6 through 12 .-History:...
in New Orleans and Patterson High School
Patterson High School (Louisiana)
Patterson High School is a high school found in the city of Patterson in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. For more information than this page provides, please visit the .-Athletics:...
are reported to have been using the cheer and Gulf Coast fans of Alcorn State University
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State University is an historically black university comprehensive land-grant institution in Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871-History:...
and Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
picked up the cheer in the 1970s. Southern University in New Orleans claims to have originated the cheer in the late 1960s in their version: "Who dat talkin' 'bout beatin' dem Jags." There is a long-standing debate between the Saints and Bengals fan bases over which one originated the chant from their culture.