The Bengals announced today that QB Boomer Esiason (1984-92, ’97) and WR Chad Johnson (2001-10) will be inducted into the team’s ring of honor in 2023. They will join Ken Anderson, Willie Anderson, Paul Brown, Isaac Curtis, Anthony Muñoz and Ken Riley in the Bengals Ring of Honor.
“Boomer and Chad were both exceptional players,” said Bengals President Mike Brown. “If you look at the stats, Boomer has a long list of quarterback firsts here. And Chad was a great athlete who was probably the fastest receiver we had here. They might have moments where they just carried the team on their own. Both players “deserve this honor very much.”
Esiason is considered one of the greatest locker room leaders in Bengals history. In 1986, he earned his first of three Pro Bowl bids with the Bengals while also leading the NFL’s most prolific offensive line. In 1988, he led the NFL with a 97.4 passer rating and helped the Bengals win the AFC Championship. That year, Esiason was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player by the Pro Football Writers of America and the Associated Press. Esiason ranks third in Bengals history with 27,149 passing yards and 187 touchdowns.
“I’ll always remember getting that because of the season ticket holders,” Esiason said. “They are the ones who have memories. They’re the ones who spend money to support the team. They’re the ones who know who their favorite players are and who made the biggest impact while they were there. That is not the case.” should be taken lightly or ever taken for granted.