Who Dey?

Lore & Background

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Paul Brown began planning for the creation of the Bengals franchise in 1965, and Cincinnati's city council approved the construction of Riverfront Stadium in 1966. Finally, in 1967, the Bengals were founded when a group headed by Brown received franchise approval by the American Football League (AFL) on May 23, 1967, and they began play in the 1968 season. Brown was the Bengals' head coach from their inception to 1975.

After being dismissed as the Browns' head coach by Art Modell in January 1963, Brown had shown interest in establishing another NFL franchise in Ohio and looked at both Cincinnati and Columbus. He ultimately chose the former when a deal between the city, Hamilton County, and Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds was struck that resulted in an agreement to build a multipurpose stadium. Due to the impending merger of the AFL and the NFL, Brown agreed to join the AFL as its 10th and final franchise.

The Bengals, like the other former AFL teams, were assigned to the AFC following the merger. After Paul Brown's death in 1991, controlling interest in the team was inherited by his son, Mike Brown. In 2011, Brown purchased shares of the team owned by the estate of co-founder Austin Knowlton and is now the majority owner of the Bengals franchise. The Bengals won the AFC championship in 1981, 1988, and in 2021.

After each of the 1981 and 1988 conference championships, they went on to lose to the San Francisco 49ers, in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII. The team struggled greatly in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Following the 1990 season, the team went 14 years without making the NFL playoffs or posting a winning record. The turning point for the Bengals was during the 2021 season, when they won their first playoff game in 31 years and advanced to the first of two consecutive AFC Championship games.

In 2021, they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27–24 in overtime and advanced to Super Bowl LVI, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23–20. They advanced to the AFC Championship game again in 2022 but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs by a score of 23–20. The team does not have an official general manager. However, Duke Tobin is the Bengals' 'de facto general manager' because he handles most personnel decisions.

Reader's Guide

The Bengals play their home games at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati. The team's head coach from their inception to 1975 was Paul Brown. The Bengals won the AFC championship in 1981, 1988, and 2021. They have appeared in Super Bowls XVI, XXIII, and LVI, losing all three.

Did You Know?

• The team's name was chosen by Paul Brown to give it a link with past professional football in Cincinnati; another Cincinnati Bengals team had existed from 1937 to 1942.
• In a Forbes article on the value of NFL teams as of August 2022, the Cincinnati Bengals were ranked last with a value of $3 billion.

Founding and Strategic Origins

The franchise emerged from the visionary planning of Paul Brown following his dismissal by Art Modell from the Cleveland Browns. Seeking to establish another professional football presence in Ohio, Brown evaluated both Columbus and Cincinnati before selecting the latter. This decision was heavily influenced by a complex agreement involving the city council, Hamilton County, and Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, who required a new venue to replace the obsolete Crosley Field.

The resulting Riverfront Stadium was designed as a multipurpose facility capable of hosting both baseball and football, securing the necessary infrastructure for the team. Although Brown initially viewed the American Football League as an inferior competition, he pragmatically accepted their offer to join as the tenth franchise in 1967. This move was strategically calculated because the impending AFL-NFL merger guaranteed the new team a spot in the NFL by 1970.

The location proved ideal for drawing fans from a vast regional network, including Louisville, Lexington, Columbus, Dayton, and Indianapolis, ensuring a robust market within a 110-mile radius.

Ownership Dynamics and Corporate Identity

Since its inception, the Bengals have been defined by the Brown family's enduring control. Paul Brown served as head coach from the team's first game in 1968 until 1975, establishing the organizational culture before his death in 1991. Upon his passing, controlling interest passed to his son, Mike Brown, who solidified his position by purchasing shares from co-founder Austin Knowlton's estate in 2011 to become the majority owner. This family-centric structure has led to unique operational quirks; notably, the team lacks an official general manager, with Duke Tobin functioning as the de facto leader for personnel decisions.

The franchise identity was meticulously crafted by Paul Brown, who named the team to honor Cincinnati's previous professional football history and the city zoo's rare white Bengal tiger. He selected orange and black colors, potentially referencing his former Massillon Tigers or serving as a subtle nod to Modell. While Forbes ranked the Bengals last in value among NFL teams at $3 billion in 2022, Mike Brown has faced criticism for his management style, once being rated among the worst owners in American professional sports.

Decades of Struggle and Resilience

The team's history is marked by a dramatic arc of early promise followed by prolonged adversity. After reaching the AFC Championship three times—in 1981, 1988, and 2021—the Bengals suffered heartbreaking losses to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII during their initial peaks. The subsequent decades were particularly grim; the 1990s and early 2000s saw such poor performance that broadcaster Myron Cope coined the disparaging nickname "The Bungles."

Following the 1990 season, the franchise endured a fourteen-year drought without a winning record or a playoff appearance. This era was characterized by instability at the head coaching position and a string of high draft picks who failed to meet expectations. However, fortunes began to shift in the mid-2000s, transforming the team into consistent postseason contenders, even if they continued to struggle to secure deep playoff runs until a significant turning point arrived over thirty years later.

Modern Resurgence and Historic Breakthroughs

The narrative of the Bengals shifted dramatically during the 2021 season, marking a historic resurgence after decades of frustration. For the first time in thirty-one years, the team secured a playoff victory, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 27–24 in overtime to advance to the AFC Championship. This triumph propelled them to Super Bowl LVI, their first appearance in the league's championship game since 1988, though they ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Rams by a narrow margin of 23–20.

The momentum continued into the following year, as the Bengals reached the AFC Championship game again in 2022. Despite another close loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs with a score of 23–20, these consecutive deep playoff runs signaled a definitive end to their long period of mediocrity. This modern era represents a stark contrast to the "Bungles" moniker of previous decades, re-establishing Cincinnati as a formidable force in the AFC North division and validating the franchise's resilience.