Bengals announce inaugural Ring of Honor class

Former Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson tells a story during the Legends Past and Present event. Sam Greene/The Enquirer

Bengals announce Ken Anderson, Ken Riley voted into inaugural Ring of Honor class

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 7/22/21

The Cincinnati Bengals announced Thursday that quarterback Ken Anderson and cornerback Ken Riley have been voted into the team's inaugural Ring of Honor class.

“We have a long history of players, many of them great players. Ken Anderson and Ken Riley are at the top of that list of great players,” said Bengals President Mike Brown in a release. “They were the type of players that we like to think our team is all about. I am pleased they are the top picks of the fans.”

The KENS are IN!

Ken Anderson and Ken Riley will join Paul Brown and Anthony Muñoz in our inaugural Ring of Honor class.
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 22, 2021

The duo joins team founder and coach Paul Brown and Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz, who were selected by the franchise earlier this year.

The 2021 class will be honored during a home game on Sept. 30 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Anderson, a third-round pick in 1971, played for the Bengals through the 1986 season. He ranks first in franchise history with 32,838 passing yards and second in touchdown passes with 197.

The 72-year-old was named MVP in 1981 after leading the Bengals to the Super Bowl. He led the NFL in passer rating four times and led the NFL in passing yards twice.

Riley, a 1969 sixth-round pick, played for the Bengals through the 1983 season and ranks fifth in NFL history with 65 interceptions. He spent his entire career with the Bengals, retiring after the 1983 campaign.

Riley died on June 7, 2020 at the age of 72.

More must-reads: