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  In
1937 the first Cincinnati Bengals team was formed
by the American Football League (AFL). This
inaugural Bengals team finished with a record
of 2-4-2 in their first year of existence. Unfortunately
the AFL folded shortly after the 1937 season.
In
1938 the Bengals continued to play as an independent
team, playing three different teams from the
NFL. In 1939, the Cincinnati Bengals joined
a new founded American Football League, finishing
second place with a record of 6-2. But once
again, the AFL folded after the 1939 season.
Believe it or not but in 1940, the third AFL
emerged and again the Bengals joined this financially
unstable league. They finished 1-7-0 in 1940
and 1-5-2 in 1941. And, of course, that AFL
folded after the 1941 season as the United States
entered World War II.
In 1945, Arthur McBride brought the All-America
Football Conference (AFC) team to Cleveland
and played their first game in the following
year. McBride ran a newspaper ad contest to
name the team and offered the winner a $1,000
war bond. Most entries suggested the name Cleveland
"Browns" after Head Coach Paul Brown. Coach
Brown reluctantly agreed to name and the Cleveland
Browns and the new AFC were born. The rival
league consisted of seven teams including the
Baltimore Colts, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Hornets,
Los Angeles Dons, New York Yankees, San Francisco
49ers, and the Cleveland Browns. Paul Brown
became the greatest coach in Cleveland sports
history. That's why the single most shocking
event in Browns history was when they fired
him. more>
Paul
Brown coached the Browns from 1946-62
with only 1 losing season in 17 years. In 1967,
26 years later, professional football returned
to Cincinnati when Paul Brown, father of current
Bengals owner Mike Brown, supervised an ownership
group which landed an expansion franchise in
the modern-era American Football League. Brown,
a Pro Football Hall of Famer who founded and
coached the Cleveland Browns from 1946-62, picked
the name Bengals for the new team “to give it
a link with past professional football in Cincinnati.”
Hundreds of names were suggested by fans in
an effort to name the new Cincinnati team, the
most popular being Buckeyes. It was rejected
to avoid confusion with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Bengals began play in the AFL in 1968. The
Bengals joined the National Football League
in 1970 when the NFL and AFL finally completed
their merger. The team joined the AFC Central
Division and won their division title in its
first NFL season. The Bengals lost in the first
round of the playoffs to the Baltimore Colts.
 With
the help of emerging star QB Ken Anderson, WR
Isaac Curtis, and TE Bob Trumpy, Brown guided
the Bengals to the playoffs again in 1973 and
1975. Unfortunately, the Bengals were defeated
again in the first round. After a few front
office and coaching changes over the next five
seasons, the Bengals won the division title
in 1981 under head coach Forrest
Gregg. Quarterback Ken Anderson won
his fourth passing title. Running Back Pete
Johnson rushed for over 1,000 yards and rookie
Wide Receiver Cris Collinsworth was able to
reach the 1,000 yard pinnacle for receiving
as well. The Cincinnati Bengals went on to defeat
the Buffalo Bills and the San Diego Chargers
in the infamous "Freezer Bowl" before
losing to Joe Montana and the San Francisco
49ers in Super Bowl XVI, 26-21.
The
Bengals remained a competitive threat throughout
the 1980's thanks to the play of QB Boomer Esiason.
Esiason replaced Ken Anderson in 1985 and, he
too, became one of the National Football League's
high profile quarterbacks. Although Esiason
and the Bengals only finished the 1987 season
with a 4-11 record, they quickly turned it around
the following season. In 1988, the Bengals finished
the season with a 12-4 record clinching the
division title and home field advantage throughout
the playoffs. With the talents of Running Backs
James Brooks and Ickey Woods, Wide Receiver
Eddie Brown, and Tackle Anthony Munoz, the Bengals
became an elite team in the NFL. In another
playoff appearance, the Bengals advanced to
their second Super Bowl of the decade by defeating
the Buffalo Bills 21-10. However, the Bengals
again lost to Montana, Rice and the San Francisco
49ers when the 49ers scored a game-winning touchdown
with 34 seconds remaining.
 In
1990 the Cincinnati Bengals won their fifth
and final division title to date. The Bengals
only won 11 games from the years 1992 to 1994,
and continued to struggle through the 90's after
the death of Cincinnati Bengals founder Paul
Brown in 1991. After a decade of misery, the
Bengals opened the 2000 season with their inaugural
game Paul Brown Stadium against the rival Cleveland
Browns. Unfortunately the Bengals lost 24-7.
After the resignation of former Bengals Tight
End and Head Coach Bruce Coslet, he was replaced
by Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau. Following
a couple of losing seasons, the Bengals would
fire Coach LeBeau and replace him with Marvin
Lewis. In addition, the Bengals drafted Quarterback
of the future Carson Palmer, the 2002 Heisman
Trophy winner. With the future looking promising,
we engage in a new era of Cincinnati Bengals
football.
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Paul
Brown's Legacy Lives on
