Tag: Ken Riley

Ken Riley’s family received his Hall of Fame ring at Bengals game

Ken Riley’s family received his Hall of Fame ring.

The late Ken Riley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2023 as a Cincinnati Bengal, and the induction ceremony has come and gone, with his family attending to accept the honor in his place.

At the Sunday night game against the Buffalo Bills, Riley’s family received his Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence at halftime.

Riley was voted into the Hall of Fame three years after he passed away after years of being left out despite having the fifth most interceptions all time, tied with Charles Woodson who also had 65.

Riley’s son thanked fans outside of the stadium before the game for the support they gave to his father over the years and said that he wouldn’t have been inducted if it weren’t for them.

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Marvin Lewis attended Ken Riley’s induction ceremony

A fun link involving Ken Riley’s Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Cincinnati Bengals legend Ken Riley was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday which was announced by his widow, Barbara Riley, and his son, Ken Riley II.

At the ceremony was former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, his first appearance since he last coached in 2018, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

Lewis will also be at Chad Johnson’s Ring of Honor induction this season, but Mike Brown invited him to Riley’s induction since it was the first Bengals player to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame since Anthony Munoz in 1998.

Here’s some of what Lewis had to say about being at the ceremony:

“Mike kind of brought it up. Someone should reach out and see if I wanted to come and be a part of the Bengals contingent. I appreciate that. That was really nice,” said Lewis, who, like Brown, considers himself a Bengal all the way. “Always. I was in Italy a few weeks ago and someone says, ‘Who-Dey.’ I was in the Atlanta airport yesterday and a guy said, ‘Coach, want my hat?’ It had a Bengals logo on the side.”

Even though Lewis has moved on from the Bengals and is now with Arizona State, he still will always have a connection to the city of Cincinnati.

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Watch: Ken Riley II speaks on behalf of late father at Hall of Fame induction

A special moment for the Riley family.

It took 35 years, but Cincinnati Bengals legend Ken Riley is finally in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Riley’s son, Ken Riley II and his mother Barbara Riley received the gold jacket on Friday night before revealing the bust during the enshrinement ceremony on Saturday.

“I only wish he could have been here for himself to complete his circle,” Barbara said. “But he’s here now.”

Riley II, who worked hard in the years following his father’s death to drum up support for the 65-interception legend (tied fifth all-time), used the speech as an opportunity to thank fans and celebrate the moment, ending in a fantastic quote:

 

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Ken Riley’s Pro Football Hall of Fame bust revealed

A Bengals legend enters the Hall of Fame.

Cincinnati Bengals great Ken Riley joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Presented by Ken Riley II and Barbara Riley, it marks the first time the Hall gave Gold Jackets to posthumous inductees.

As expected, the reveal of the bust was one of the biggest moments of the enshrinement process, which onlookers captured in picture and video form.

The occasion marks not just the second Bengals player ever in the Hall, but a longstanding quest for mother and son to make this happen.

“My son,” Barbara said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, “when (Ken Sr.) passed said, ‘Mama, I’m not going to stop. I need to get dad’s name back out there. I can’t let his name just fall to the wayside.’”

The full unveiling of the bust:

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Bengals honor Ken Riley with documentary before Hall of Fame induction

The Bengals made an incredible mini-documentary about Ken Riley.

Cincinnati Bengals legend Ken Riley joins the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend.

To honor the occasion, the team put together a short documentary about his career. It’s a brilliant, 17-plus-minute look at one of the game’s all-time interception leaders.

Riley is the second Bengals player to ever make the Hall, joining Anthony Muñoz. The Hall of Fame is already displaying some of Riley’s memorabilia before his induction, where his wife Barbara will be presenting.

Riley is also a member of the team’s Ring of Honor alongside Ken Anderson, Willie Anderson, Paul Brown, Isaac Curtis, Muñoz and new inductees Chad Johnson and Boomer Esiason.

Here’s a look at the video:

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Ken Riley memorabilia on display at Pro Football Hall of Fame

A Bengals great has some of his things on display in the Hall already.

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Long-time Cincinnati Bengal Ken Riley will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August, making him the second Bengals player to earn the honor.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is already displaying some of Riley’s memorabilia before his official induction.

A football, a jersey, shoulder pads, a helmet and a plaque are among the things being displayed of Riley’s in the hall.

Riley is finally getting the recognition he deserves from his fifteen years as a Cincinnati Bengal, playing his way up to fifth all-time in interceptions with 65 in his career.

Riley’s wife Barbara will be presenting for her late husband on August 5 when he is enshrined.

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Ken Riley to be presented by his wife at Pro Football Hall of Fame

An update on Bengals great Ken Riley going to the Hall of Fame.

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Late Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Ken Riley will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 5 in the class of 2023.

Barbara Riley will officially be the presenter for her late husband when that day comes, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After 15 years with the Bengals, Riley finished with 207 games played, 65 interceptions which is fifth best all time, and earned All-Pro honors three times in his career.

Riley already has a spot as a member in the Bengals Ring of Honor, but will now be the second Bengal to represent the team in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Anthony Munoz delivered Hall of Fame news to Ken Riley II

An incredible phone call in Bengals history.

Anthony Munoz, the first Cincinnati Bengals player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was the one doing the honors of informing the family of the second this past week.

It was Munoz who delivered the news via phone call to Ken Riley II informing him that his late father’s long wait was finally over and that he would be forever enshrined in Canton.

Riley II had previously vowed never to visit the hall until his father’s wait ended.

“It’s bittersweet,” Ken Riley II told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Just relief. And disbelief because it’s been over 30 years for this to finally happen. It’s like, ‘Wow.’”

Here’s a video of the historic moment:

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Willie Anderson sheds Hall of Fame snub to celebrate Ken Riley

Some awesome thoughts from Willie Anderson about Ken Riley and the Hall of Fame.

Cincinnati Bengals great Willie Anderson isn’t sweating missing on the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second year in a row as a finalist.

After all, fellow Bengals great Ken Riley finally just got enshrined after a massive wait, becoming the second player in team history to enter the hall.

Asked about the situation, Anderson said the moment is a fantastic one even if he didn’t get his just yet.

“I’m in a good mood because Kenny Riley is in,” Anderson said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Because I know what it meant for him. He mentioned it to me before he passed away. The only sad part about it is he’s not here to see it, but I talk to his son. We text. They’re excited. They’ve been pushing for me, pulling for me and we’ve all been pulling for them. Tonight’s a great feeling. I know what that man meant. I love when the greats who came before me get honored.”

It’s an awesome note from Anderson, one of the best right tackles of his era. And even if it’s not a focus at this very moment, he’s got a very good chance to enter the hall next year now that the logjam at offensive line has cleared.

Odds are good Anderson will be a finalist for a third straight year, especially now that it feels like a logjam of Bengals has actually broken in this modernized era for the franchise, too.

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Bengals’ Mike Brown opens up after Ken Riley makes Hall of Fame

Mike Brown saw every step of Ken Riley’s Canton-bound journey.

It was a long wait for Cincinnati Bengals great Ken Riley, but 2023 marks the year he finally entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

One of three senior finalists, Riley’s 65 interceptions still rank fifth all-time. He had a remarkable career considering he arrived in Cincinnati as a sixth-round quarterback and quickly changed positions.

Bengals president Mike Brown saw every step of that journey and reflected on it all after the announcement.

“He had never played the position, and he took to it so quickly and it was quite remarkable,” Brown said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “He would have a feel by the pattern when the ball was going to come. He would think like a quarterback. He would just sense what was going on in the quarterback’s mind as he covered.”

“Ken was a top cover corner. He could play the ball at the point of reception so well that he became one of the top interceptors of all time. And he would tackle. Only 185 pounds, he hit hard. Receivers knew they would pay a price if they caught a ball in front of him. Most of all, Ken was a smart player. He didn’t miss assignments. Ever. He was a wonderful person. He looked out for others. Everyone with all levels of the team respected him. He was a man that could be counted on.”

Many would argue Riley had to wait entirely too long based on his career, but that’s in the rearview now. The Bengals made a push in recent years to better honor past greats, and Riley was one of the first in the newly established Ring of Honor.

More reactions from Brown:

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