Over the course of 46 seasons in the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals seem to have had more than their fair share of heartbreaking moments. We're partnering with the Cincinnati Enquirer to take a nostalgic look back at some of the toughest moments Bengals fans have had to endure through the years, from injuries to fumbles. What's the worst moment the Bengal fans have ever experienced?
We have 16 of the worst moments in Bengal history for you to relive, in no particular order. Take a look through and remember the pain of those days so you can finally let go and move forward to a brighter Bengal future.
http://www.ranker.com/list/most-heartbreaking-cincinnati-bengals-moments/ranker-nfl,
Lewis Billups Dropped Interception in Super Bowl 23
For the better part of three quarters in Super Bowl 23, San Francisco and Cincinnati traded field goals. With less than a minute left on the ensuing kickoff, Bengals running back Stanford Jennings ran in a 93-yard touchdown, putting the Bengals up 13-6 going into the fourth quarter. The 49ers would respond on the next drive with Joe Montana hitting Jerry Rice for a 14-yard touchdown, but it was the play before this that could have turned the tide in the Bengals favor. Cornerback Lewis Billups dropped a sure interception in the end zone that would have given the Bengals the ball at the 20-yard line. San Francisco ended up winning the game 20-16 when Montana found John Taylor for a 10-yard touchdown with 36 seconds left in the game.
Bill Walsh Gets Passed Over for Head Coaching Job, Goes to San Francisco and Wins Super Bowl Against Bengals
This is certainly one of those cases where hindsight is 20/20. Walsh served as an assistant under legendary Bengals coach Paul Brown, where he formulated what is now known as the West Coast Offense – an offensive scheme focused on short horizontal passes in hopes of stretching out an opposing defense. Following the 1975 season, Brown retired and named Bill "Tiger" Johnson as his successor. Walsh would later say that Brown, "worked against my candidacy," to be a head coach anywhere in the NFL. In 1979, he was named head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and drafted quarterback Joe Montana from Notre Dame in the third round. Walsh would win two of his three Super Bowls against the Bengals, first in 1981 and later in 1988 and would end up being considered one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.
Chris Henry's Death
Henry was drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft and caught 31 passes for 422 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie year. He injured his knee on the first pass play of the playoffs that year (on the same play as Carson Palmer's knee injury). The following year, he would see a rise in his game stats, but in 2007, he was suspended for eight games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy (see the 2006 arrests listing). Following an arrest in April 2008, he was released by the Bengals. On December 16, 2009, Henry suffered fatal injuries after falling out the back of a truck driven by his fiancee while engaged in a domestic dispute. In June 2010, the Brain Injury Research Institute of West Virginia University released a report that Henry had developed a progressively degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy during his playing career, due to multiple hard hits to the head.
2006 Series of Arrests
The 2006 offseason was a memorable one for the Bengals, but not in a good way. Nine players were arrested and/or suspended for their actions off the field. While a few of them were for DUI and drug charges, there was also Frostee Rucker's two counts of spousal abuse, A.J. Nicholson's burglary charge, and Matthias Askew being tased for refusing to move his illegally-parked car. The most prominent infractions, though, came from wide receiver Chris Henry, who was involved in four separate incidents, including speeding and DUI, marijuana charges, providing liquor to minors, and pulling a gun on a group of people in Orlando. The Bengals finished the season 8-8 and missed the postseason, a drop-off from their 11-5 finish the year before.
Akili Smith Draft in First Round
The 1999 NFL Draft was particularly stacked with quarterbacks with five of the first 11 picks spent drafting the position. The Bengals had the third overall pick and had bought into the hype surrounding Oregon quarterback Akili Smith, who had amassed nearly 4,000 yards passing and 32 touchdowns on only 11 starts. Prior to the draft, there was an effort by New Orleans head coach Mike Ditka to trade draft positions so that the Saints could go after running back Ricky Williams.The final offer, which the Bengals management refused, was for nine draft picks spread out over the 1999 and 2000 NFL Drafts. The Bengals stuck with Smith, who missed much of the 1999 training camp due to contract disputes. During the four years he was with the Bengals, he would start in only 17 games and throw just five TD passes next to 13 interceptions.
Stanley Wilson Pre-Super Bowl Cocaine Relapse
As a fullback for the Bengals, Wilson was suspended twice for cocaine use and was forced to sit out the entire 1985 and 1987 seasons. His most notorious infraction came two years later in 1989, on the eve of Super Bowl 23. Wilson told several teammates that he needed to get his playbook before their last meeting prior to the game. Twenty minutes later, his position coach, Jim Anderson, found him in the bathroom in the midst of a cocaine high. The Bengals left him off the roster for the game, which the San Francisco 49ers won 20-16. With the incident being his third infraction, he was subsequently banned from the NFL for life.
Ki-Jana Carter Drafted in First Round
In three seasons at Penn State, running back Ki-Jana Carter racked up nearly 3,000 rushing yards. In the 1995 NFL Draft, the Bengals acquired the first pick following a trade with Carolina. Carter was taken first overall in the draft and signed a 7-year, $19.2 million deal with the Bengals, but his NFL career was beset with numerous injuries. In the first preseason game of his rookie year, he tore a ligament in his knee and missed the entire 1995 season. Between 1997-1999, Carter was injured and missed entire seasons with the Bengals, the Titans, and the Panthers.
Kenny Anderson Face Mask
In a mid-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive end Keith Gary twisted quarterback Kenny Anderson to the turf by the face mask. Anderson's neck was severely twisted on the play, and he was eventually carted off the carpet of Riverfront Stadium for X-rays, which revealed a sprained neck. Bengals coach Forrest Gregg thought Gary should have been ejected from the game, but he wasn't. Later in the game, Gary was penalized for a late hit on back-up quarterback Turk Schonert.
Greg Cook Injures Shoulder in Rookie Season
In his rookie season with the Bengals, quarterback Greg Cook started off strong by leading the team to a 3-0 record. However, in that third game against Kansas City, Cook felt a pop in his right/throwing shoulder after being tackled by linebacker Jim Lynch and missed the next three games. Due to the limited medical technology at the time, his torn rotator cuff went undiagnosed, but Cook went on to pass for 1,854 yards. His 9.411 yards per pass attempt and 17.5 yards per completion are rookie records that still stand. In the offseason, his shoulder began to deteriorate, and after three futile operations, he retired.
Carson Palmer Injures Knee in Playoff Game Against Pittsburgh
Carson Palmer had been having a breakout season in 2005, passing for nearly 3,900 yards, 32 touchdowns, and boasting a 101.1 quarterback rating. On the first pass play of the Bengals' playoff game against Pittsburgh, defensive tackle Kim von Oelhoffen rolled into Palmer's knee, tearing the quarterback's ACL.
On the same play, wide receiver Chris Henry hauled in Palmer's 66-yard pass but injured his knee as well. Despite this, the Bengals built an early 10-0 lead before giving up 24 unanswered points and turning the ball over three times. Pittsburgh won 31-17 en route to eventually winning the Super Bowl that year.