The Cincinnati Bengals franchise was founded in 1968 as a member of the West division of the American Football League (AFL). The Bengals joined the National Football League (NFL) as a result of the AFL–NFL merger before 1970. This list documents the franchise's completed seasons from 1968 to present, including postseason records and results from postseason games.[1] The Bengals have played over 850 games in their history, including three conference championships, ten division championships, and fifteen playoff appearances. As of the end of the 2023 season, the only NFL teams who have more Super Bowl appearances with no titles than Cincinnati (which has 3 of them) are the 4-time Super Bowl non-winning Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings.
The franchise has experienced several extended periods of success in their history. These periods came from 1981 to 1990 when the Bengals qualified for the playoffs four times and played in two Super Bowls, and from 2009 to 2015. However, during a fourteen-year span—1991 to 2004—the Bengals did not qualify for the playoffs. During this time, the franchise had nine seasons with ten or more losses, and three of those seasons the franchise had the league's worst record. Between 2005 and 2015, the Bengals were more successful, posting seven winning seasons, three division titles and seven wild card playoff berths (including a streak of five consecutive playoff seasons, a first in franchise history). Despite the success, the Bengals did not win a playoff game between 1990 and 2021, one of the longest droughts in league history. From 2016 to 2020, the Bengals suffered five straight losing seasons, including having the league's worst record in the 2019 season (finishing 2–14 that season), before winning the AFC North and qualifying for the playoffs again in 2021, which included an AFC Championship Game win and a berth in their first Super Bowl since the 1988 season.
Legend
edit| Finish | Final position in league, division or conference |
| Super Bowl champions† | |
| AFC champions* | |
| Division champions^ | |
| Wild Card berth# |
Season records
edit| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coaches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | T | ||||||||
| 1968 | 1968[2] | AFL | Western | 5th | 3 | 11 | 0 | Paul Robinson (OROY) | Paul Brown | ||
| 1969 | 1969[3] | AFL | Western | 5th | 4 | 9 | 1 | Paul Brown (COY) Greg Cook (OROY) | |||
| 1970 | 1970[4] | NFL | AFC | Central^ | 1st^ | 8 | 6 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Colts) 0–17 | Paul Brown (COY) | |
| 1971 | 1971[5] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 1972 | 1972[6] | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 0 | |||
| 1973 | 1973[7] | NFL | AFC | Central^ | 1st^ | 10 | 4 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Dolphins) 16–34 | ||
| 1974 | 1974[8] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 1975 | 1975[9] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd# | 11 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 28–31 | Ken Anderson (WPMOY) | |
| 1976 | 1976[10] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 10 | 4 | 0 | Bill Johnson | ||
| 1977 | 1977[11] | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 0 | |||
| 1978 | 1978[12] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | Bill Johnson (0–5) Homer Rice (4–7) | ||
| 1979 | 1979[13] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | Homer Rice | ||
| 1980 | 1980[14] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | Forrest Gregg | ||
| 1981 | 1981[15] | NFL | AFC* | Central^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 28–21 Won AFC Championship (Chargers) 27–7 Lost Super Bowl XVI (vs. 49ers) 21–26 |
Ken Anderson (MVP, OPOY, CPOY) | |
| 1982 | 1982[16][a] | NFL | AFC | 3rd# | 7 | 2 | 0 | Lost First Round Playoffs (Jets) 17–44 | |||
| 1983 | 1983[17] | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1984 | 1984[18] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Brian Pillman (EBCA) | Sam Wyche | |
| 1985 | 1985[19] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 9 | 0 | Eddie Brown (OROY) | ||
| 1986 | 1986[20] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | Reggie Williams (WPMOY) | ||
| 1987 | 1987[21][b] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 11 | 0 | |||
| 1988 | 1988[22] | NFL | AFC* | Central^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Seahawks) 21–13 Won AFC Championship (Bills) 21–10 Lost Super Bowl XXIII (vs. 49ers) 16–20 |
Boomer Esiason (MVP) | |
| 1989 | 1989[23] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 1990 | 1990[24] | NFL | AFC | Central^ | 1st^ | 9 | 7 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Oilers) 41–14 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Raiders) 10–20 |
||
| 1991 | 1991[25] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | Anthony Muñoz (WPMOY) | ||
| 1992 | 1992[26] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | Carl Pickens (OROY) | Dave Shula | |
| 1993 | 1993[27] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | |||
| 1994 | 1994[28] | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 3 | 13 | 0 | |||
| 1995 | 1995[29] | NFL | AFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1996 | 1996[30] | NFL | AFC | Central | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Dave Shula (1–6) Bruce Coslet (7–2) | ||
| 1997 | 1997[31] | NFL | AFC | Central | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | Bruce Coslet | ||
| 1998 | 1998[32] | NFL | AFC | Central | 5th | 3 | 13 | 0 | |||
| 1999 | 1999[33] | NFL | AFC | Central | 5th | 4 | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2000 | 2000[34] | NFL | AFC | Central | 5th | 4 | 12 | 0 | Bruce Coslet (0–3) Dick LeBeau (4–9) | ||
| 2001 | 2001[35] | NFL | AFC | Central | 6th | 6 | 10 | 0 | Dick LeBeau | ||
| 2002 | 2002[36] | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2003 | 2003[37] | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Jon Kitna (CPOY) | Marvin Lewis | |
| 2004 | 2004[38] | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2005 | 2005[39] | NFL | AFC | North^ | 1st^ | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 17–31 | ||
| 2006 | 2006[40] | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | 2007[41] | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2008 | 2008[42] | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 4 | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2009 | 2009[43] | NFL | AFC | North^ | 1st^ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Jets) 14–24 | Marvin Lewis (COY) | |
| 2010 | 2010[44] | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2011 | 2011[45] | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd# | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 10–31 | ||
| 2012 | 2012[46] | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd# | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 13–19 | ||
| 2013 | 2013[47] | NFL | AFC | North^ | 1st^ | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Chargers) 10–27 | ||
| 2014 | 2014[48] | NFL | AFC | North | 2nd# | 10 | 5 | 1 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Colts) 10–26 | ||
| 2015 | 2015[49] | NFL | AFC | North^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 16–18 | ||
| 2016 | 2016[50] | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 6 | 9 | 1 | |||
| 2017 | 2017[51] | NFL | AFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | 2018[52] | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | 2019[53] | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | Zac Taylor | ||
| 2020 | 2020[54] | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 4 | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2021 | 2021 | NFL | AFC* | North^ | 1st^ | 10 | 7 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Raiders) 26−19 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Titans) 19–16 Won AFC Championship (at Chiefs) 27–24 (OT) Lost Super Bowl LVI (vs. Rams) 20–23 |
Ja'Marr Chase (OROY) Joe Burrow (CPOY) | |
| 2022 | 2022 | NFL | AFC | North^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 24–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Bills) 27–10 Lost AFC Championship (at Chiefs) 20–23 |
||
| 2023 | 2023 | NFL | AFC | North | 4th | 9 | 8 | 0 | |||
| Totals | 394 | 471 | 5 | All-time regular season record (1968–2023)[55] | |||||||
| 10 | 16 | — | All-time postseason record (1968–2023)[55] | ||||||||
| 404 | 487 | 5 | All-time regular season and postseason record (1968–2023)[55] | ||||||||
| 3 AFC Conference Championships, 11 Division titles | |||||||||||
Footnotes
edit- a The 1982 season was a strike-shortened season so the league was divided up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment.
- b The strike of 1987 reduced the regular season schedule from 16 to 15 games.
References
editGeneral
- "Cincinnati Bengals History". CBSSports.com. CBS. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- "NFL Standings: Divisions". NFL.com. National Football League. Archived from the original on March 26, 2008. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- "Pro Football Hall of Fame – Cincinnati Bengals". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 3, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- "Cincinnati Bengals Team Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
Specific
- ^ Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list can only regularity season game results and exclude any postseason play records. Regular and postseason records are combined only at the bottom of the list.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1968". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1969". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1970". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1971". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1972". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1973". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1974". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1975". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1976". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1977". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1978". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1979". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1980". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1981". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on November 5, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1982". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1983". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1984". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1985". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1986". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1987". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1988". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1989". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on November 5, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1990". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1991". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1992". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1993". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1994". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1995". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1996". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on November 12, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1997". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1998". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 1999". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on November 12, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2000". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on July 17, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2001". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2002". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2003". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2004". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2005". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2006". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2007". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2008". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2009". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2010". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on February 8, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2011". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2012". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2013". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2014". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved January 14, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2015". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved January 14, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2016". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved December 17, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2017". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved December 17, 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2018". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved December 30, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2019". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved April 16, 2021.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History: 2020". Bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved April 16, 2021.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c "Cincinnati Bengals Team Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2018.