Tag: corey dillon

Corey Dillon thrilled to join Bengals Ring of Honor

Corey Dillon talks about his legacy and the big news.

The Cincinnati Bengals will induct Tim Krumrie and Corey Dillon into the Ring of Honor this year, with the arrival of the latter name being a huge ordeal for fans.

As fans know, Dillon didn’t depart Cincinnati on the best of terms. But his arrival in this sense has felt like a long time coming — and he would agree.

“When I first heard the news from Mike Brown, it brought more joy to that day instantly,” Dillon said. “We had a great conversation. It means a lot. It’s my legacy. I’m happy and fortunate that this is happening at this time. I’m ecstatic about it. I have to thank the fans for the love and support. It’s been an awesome year getting to know everybody. I can’t thank them enough.”

Before his departure, Dillon became the franchise’s all-time leader in rushing attempts (1865) and rushing yards (8061), as well as historical moments such as the then-record rookie 246 rushing yards against the Oilers in 1997 and then-record 278 yards against the Broncos in 2000.

Dillon joins Krumrie, Willie Anderson, Paul Brown, Isaac Curtis, Boomer Esiason, Chad Johnson, Anthony Muñoz and Ken Riley in the Ring of Honor.

The two legends were voted on by season-ticket holders, with the ceremony happening on primetime when the Bengals host the Washington Commanders on Monday, Sept. 23.

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Bengals great Corey Dillon gets highlight-reel treatment from NFL

An interesting highlight reel from the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals great Corey Dillon has a chance at the team’s Ring of Honor this season as one of the names on the ballot.

Bengals fans know all too well that the team’s past greats aren’t typically honored often outside the team itself.

So it’s notable, then, that Dillon just popped up on the NFL’s official social media channels in a highlight reel that runs for almost two minutes.

The reel is awesome for the obvious reasons (mostly because modern fans forget just how good Dillon was in the face of stacked boxes). But it’s also cool for fans because fellow team legend Willie Anderson threw a nice comment under it:

While it’s hard to imagine the league has advance warning of Dillon going in in the Ring of Honor this year, it certainly feels like there’s some sudden momentum around his name online.

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Boomer Esiason weighs in on Corey Dillon’s Bengals Ring of Honor comments

Boomer Esiason has thoughts on Corey Dillon’s comments.

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It feels like nearly everyone has weighed in on Corey Dillon’s comments about the Ring of Honor recently established by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now Bengals great Boomer Esiason has added his thoughts on the matter to the mix, posting the following message on Twitter and including a quote from Mark Twain:

“Yes I read it. Because the Bengals have waited so long to honor their past we all have to wait. As Mark Twain said. ‘When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it’s always 20 years behind the times.’ Corey’s time will come…”

That’s pretty much what we said right when Dillon’s comments went viral. Dillon is right to throw some critiques at the Bengals for how the Ring of Honor process unfolds and he’s 100 percent worthy of the honor.

At the same time, the Ring of Honor was only established a few years ago and the list of guys to make it in before him were all as deserving, if not more so.

This will all be an afterthought in the next few years when Dillon gets in, but for now, Esiason’s on the money about the situation.

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Corey Dillon’s Bengals Ring of Honor comments had fans split

Reactions to Corey Dillon’s comments.

Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Corey Dillon made waves recently by lashing out at the team’s Ring of Honor process.

Specifically, Dillon took issue with how the team handles the voting process for the Ring of Honor itself, while also throwing out the fact he (rightfully) believes he should be in the Hall of Fame.

Naturally, Dillon’s heavy-handed approach, especially seemingly out of nowhere, provoked all sorts of reactions from old and new fans alike — as well as commentary from the broader NFL audience, too.

Here’s a look at some of the most interesting reactions to Dillon’s comments, as this debate is only just getting started as his name will assuredly come up in the Ring of Honor conversation for the next few years.

Corey Dillon’s rant on Bengals Ring of Honor is both right and wrong

Corey Dillon slammed the details around the Bengals Ring of Honor.

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Even for those who didn’t see him play at the time, one glance at former Cincinnati Bengals running back Corey Dillon’s numbers makes it clear he deserves to be in the Bengals Ring of Honor.

And the Hall of Fame, too.

Dillon recently made his case for the Ring of Honor during a sitdown with Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, blasting the Bengals and the process:

Dillon: I don’t pull no punches, and I’m not ducking anybody. I don’t have no friends I’m trying to protect, so I can speak freely about whatever I need to speak freely about. It’s damn-near criminal, what (Bengals Ring of Honor voters) are pulling off, to be honest with you. Did I not play for them? I don’t know, bro. I’m curious about that. Because it looks like they are glossing over me. For what reason? Because I left? That’s not a good enough reason. You are telling me there’s five other guys better than me — at my position? And trust me, this is no knock on whoever is getting in, who goes in, that’s not what it is about. It’s about what is your excuse going to be? I’m pretty sure they will put f—ing Jon Kitna in there before they put me. Matter of fact, Scott Mitchell will end up in that motherf—er before I do.

Dillon takes major issue with the popularity vote given to season-ticket holders, too, and went on to say this about the current makeup of the Ring of Honor: “To be honest, to keep it real, I’m the most decorated Bengal, period, outside of Anthony Muñoz — much respect; that’s one of my idols. He put in the work. So did both Kens (Riley and Anderson). Other than that, I should have been the next dude on.”

For context, season-ticket holders get to pick from a double-digit list of nominees, while the team itself has automatically enshrined others. The plan is to keep the number of inductees each year at a minimum, which makes sense to avoid diluting the meaning of the honor.

And for Dillon-based context, he broke Jim Brown’s rookie rushing record, rushed for 1,100-plus yards in each of his first six seasons on some miserable teams and finished alongside some all-time greats of the modern era with 11,241 yards and 82 touchdowns, winning a Super Bowl, too.

The problem for Dillon is … the team’s Ring of Honor has been around just two years. The current inductees:

  • Ken Anderson (inagural)
  • Paul Brown (inagural)
  • Anthony Munoz (inagural)
  • Ken Riley (inaugural)
  • Isaac Curtis
  • Willie Anderson
  • TBA
  • TBA

That’s multiple Hall of Famers, a few more who probably should be, Paul Brown and others — not exactly a list Dillon should necessarily be on in the first two years of the Ring of Honor’s existence. Tack on Dillon’s so-so relationship with longtime fans who saw his bitter exit and comments about the organization as playing an unmistakable factor, too.

Dillon is on this year’s list of candidates, but he’s attempting to fend off names like Chad Johnson, Boomer Esiason and James Brooks, so he could easily miss again.

As a whole, there’s nothing wrong with Dillon resurfacing to campaign for his Ring and Hall worthiness — he deserves both. But with the Ring of Honor, there’s a logjam of sorts at the very top. Guys who played a pivotal role in the organization and were mainstays without major departures or issues — atop possible Hall of Fame flirtations — will continue to push him aside.

It’s a matter of when, not if, for Dillon in the Bengals Ring of Honor, but it’s not shocking if the time isn’t now.

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Bengals great Willie Anderson wants to see Corey Dillon in the Hall of Fame

Willie Anderson used his Ring of Honor presser to talk up a fellow great.

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Cincinnati Bengals legend Willie Anderson is one of the four team greats going into the Ring of Honor this year.

But Anderson took a moment during his press conference after the announcement on Wednesday to talk up another franchise great — running back Corey Dillon.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Anderson singled out Dillon as a guy who should be in the Hall of Fame, as well as Chad Johnson, Ken Riley and Ken Anderson.

But it’s Dillon that might stick out the most for some here.

A second-round pick in 1997, Dillon remained with the team through the 2003 season before getting traded. Things weren’t always great between player and team, so say the least of it, but he’s still one of the most prolific backs in team history and he went on to win a Super Bowl before calling it a career in 2006.

While fans might be split on Dillon for a spot like this, it says a lot about his impact and Anderson himself that his name’s in headlines right now.

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Ravens vs. Patriots: 10 fun facts about this Week 10 matchup

We take a look back at the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots rivalry for some of the coolest little facts you might not have known.

In a game many would have expected to be a clash between playoff-bound teams at the start of the season, the Baltimore Ravens take on the New England Patriots in Week 10. The Ravens are 6-2 and still firmly in the hunt for a postseason berth behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots are languishing at 3-5 and are looking up at both the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East.

Before the teams kick off this weekend, here are 10 fun little nuggets about this rivalry for you to take away and share with your friends and family. They will be impressed by the depth of your knowledge and will come to regard you as a font of information and someone whom can clearly be reckoned with. Or they may think you have too much time on your hands. Either way, you should read them.