The team was established in 1968 as a member of the American Football League (AFL) and joined the National Football League (NFL) as a result of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. They’re currently in their 54th season in the NFL and 5th season overall.
The current owner of the Bengals is Mike Brown, who is also the president of the team. He inherited the ownership from his father, Paul Brown, who founded the franchise in 1968 as part of the American Football League (AFL). Mike Brown has been in charge of the team since 1991 and has spent the majority of his tenure dealing with underwhelming on-field performance. He is one of the few owners in the NFL who does not have a general manager and oversees all personnel decisions himself. He is also known for being very frugal and reluctant to spend money on free agents or coaches. His net worth is estimated to be around $1.2 billion as of 2022.
The head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals is Zac Taylor, who was hired after the 2018 season. Taylor is a former quarterback who played for Wake Forest, Butler Community College, and Nebraska in college. He began his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins in 2012 and later worked as the quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018. He is the tenth head coach in Bengals history and the youngest one at 40 years old. He is known for his innovative offensive schemes and his close relationship with quarterback Joe Burrow, who was the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Bengals have not yet won any Super Bowl championships. They have reached the championship game three times, in the 1981, 1988, and 2021 seasons.
The Bengals have won 11 divisional championships in their history, including five AFC Central championships (1970, 1973, 1981, 1988, 1990) and six AFC North championships (2005, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2022).
The best overall season record for the Cincinnati Bengals is 12-4-0, which they achieved four times: in 1981, 1988, 2015 and 2022. In each of these seasons, they won the AFC Central division title and advanced to the AFC Championship game.
The Cincinnati Bengals overall franchise record is 385-463-51 in their 56 seasons from 1968 to 2023. This gives them a winning percentage of 0.454. Some of the top stats in team history come from Ken Anderson, who holds the franchise record for passing yards (32,838) and passing touchdowns (197), Corey Dillon, who holds the franchise record for rushing yards (8,061) and rushing touchdowns (45), and Chad Johnson, who holds the franchise record for receiving yards (10,783) and receiving touchdowns (66).
The Cincinnati Bengals have only retired one jersey number in their history. It is the number 54, which belonged to Bob Johnson, the first player ever drafted by the Bengals in 1968. He was a center who played for the Bengals for 12 seasons, from 1968 to 1979, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1968 and 1970. He was also the last original Bengal to retire.
The Bengals play at Paycor Stadium, which is an outdoor football stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It opened on August 19, 2000 and it has a seating capacity of 65,515, with 70% of the seats along the sidelines.
The mascot for the Cincinnati Bengals is a Bengal tiger known as Who Dey. Who Dey is a character in a costume who roams around the field and engages with fans during the games. He made his debut during the 1993-94 season and has served as the mascot for approximately three decades. Who Dey sports a jersey with black and orange stripes, bearing the number 1, and wears a black helmet adorned with orange stripes. Additionally, he has a tail and whiskers, and he often entertains the crowd by performing tricks and dancing alongside the Ben-Gals cheerleaders. The name "Who Dey" is derived from the popular Bengals fan chant, "Who dey, who dey, who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?" This spirited chant originated in the 1980s and became an iconic rallying chant for Bengals fans.
The Bengals’ team colors are orange and black. These colors were chosen for their bold and distinctive appearance, which reflects the team's fierce and energetic identity on the football field. The orange symbolizes strength, determination, and enthusiasm, while the black adds a sense of power and intimidation. Together, these colors create a visually striking and memorable look for the team, helping to establish their brand and identity within the NFL.
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