| The Cincinatti Bengals:
The franchise
was named after the Cincinnati Bengals football team that played in the now-defunct
American Football League between 1937 and 1941. The Bengals
joined a different American Football League (AFL) as an expansion team in 1968.
The club was organized by Paul Brown, who as a coach had won three NFL titles
with the Cleveland Browns during the 1950s. In the Bengals’ first season,
running back Paul Robinson led the AFL in rushing and was named rookie of the
year. Cincinnati joined the NFL in 1970 when the NFL and AFL
completed their merger. The team won the AFC Central Division in its first NFL
season, relying especially on an outstanding defense that starred cornerbacks
Lemar Parrish and Ken Riley. In the playoffs the Bengals lost in the first round. Brown
guided the Cincinatti Bengals to postseason appearances again in 1973 and 1975,
and Ken Anderson emerged as one of the NFL’s finest quarterbacks. He won
three consecutive passing titles from 1973 to 1975 with the help of wide receiver
Isaac Curtis and tight end Bob Trumpy. Another favorite target of Anderson was
running back Boobie Clark, the 1973 rookie of the year. Cincinnati lost in the
first round of the playoffs in both 1973 and 1975.
For Cincinatti Bengals
tickets at the Paul Brown Stadium, click
here. | 
