Bengals on the Ballot

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2019 selection process is currently underway. Fans have a unique opportunity to help select who gets inducted from the list of 102 Modern-Era nominees by voting for who they think deserves a gold hall of fame jacket. Once the votes are tallied, the list will be reduced to 25 semi-finalists in November before being reduced again to 15 finalists who will be revealed in January.  

My beloved Cincinnati Bengals have a few former players on the list. Willie Anderson, one of the best offensive lineman to have worn the black and orange stripes is on the ballot as is former linebacker Takeo Spikes who stood head and shoulders above the other defensive players on the team during his time with the Bengals in the late 90s and early 2000s. Former offensive tackle Richmond Webb, who spent most of his career with the Miami Dolphins but did play two seasons with the the Bengals, is also on the list. Local product Shaun Alexander is also up for nomination. Despite being known for his dominant run game with the Seattle Seahawks, Alexander had a cup of coffee with the Bengals but ultimately could not come to terms on a final contract with the franchise although I do have a football card of Alexander in a Bengals uniform.

Another former Bengal on the ballot is running back Corey Dillon. During the dark ages of the franchise in the 90s, Dillon was able to put crazy numbers and run roughshod over opposing defenses. He is arguably the greatest running back in franchise history and is deserving of a spot in the hall of fame. The last player on the list of nominees is Chad Johnson. Ochocinco was one of the greatest if not the best wide receiver in the history of the Bengals. His numbers are jaw dropping, and he was the first true superstar the team had since the 1980s. Johnson was my favorite player as a kid because he played a huge part in turning the franchise around, and he made being a Bengals fan fun again. In my opinion, he has definitely earned a gold jacket. 

As you can see, the Bengals are well represented on the Modern-Era ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Out of the players listed, I think Alexander, Dillon, and Johnson have the best chances of being inducted. Make you sure visit the NFL website and vote for these former Bengals players!

Who Dey!