"But I remember thinking, 'what are we doing out here?'" Wersching scored 14 points on 4 field goals and 2 PATs. Quarterback Ken Anderson then started the drive off with a completion to wide receiver Isaac Curtis for 8 yards, and fullback Pete Johnson's 2-yard run then picked up a first down. Mark it down. Nothing. The Bengals had two Super Bowl runs in the 1980s, advancing to Super Bowl XVI in 1982 and Super Bowl XXIII in 1989. . Find out more. Don Bass Between 1978-1981, Bass caught 117 passes at tight end including a touchdown in the AFC Championship "Freezer Bowl" against San Diego. I asked him, 'Can you catch in those things?' He carried the ball 20 times for a respectable 79 yards but just couldnt find the end zone. LeClair died in November 2019 at age 69. Joe KellyA first-round draft pick in 1986, Kelly was a Bengal through 1989. 2Carries The Bengals finished the regular season with a 124 record, and had postseason victories over the Buffalo Bills and the San Diego Chargers. [8][9] New Orleans (XV) and Pasadena (XVII) were other cities chosen at the meeting. The game would be played inside the Pontiac Silverdome, in the Detrot suburb of Pontiac. I was thinking I didn't want him grabbing any cloth. He retired as a City of Cincinnati policeman. He now lives in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area working in operations, facilities and finance. After receiving the opening kickoff of the second half, the Bengals drove 83 yards in 9 plays. Here's a breakdown of the Bengals and Rams'' rosters by . After exchanging another field goal each in the third quarter, Stanford Jennings broke the game open with a 93-yard kickoff return touchdown. The Rams then stopped the Bengals on the final drive before the offense took a knee in victory formation to shut out the game. (AP Photo), Their breath made visible by sub-zero temperatures, fans cheer during the AFC championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Diego Chargers in Cincinnati, Jan. 11, 1982. Bengals defensive player Mike Fuller helps break up the play. "Forrest didn't keep us out there very long," Breeden says. Later in the quarter, Bengals defensive back Mike Fuller's 17-yard punt return gave the Bengals the ball at midfield. The final national Nielsen rating was 49.1 (a 73 share), which is still a Super Bowl record, and ranks second to the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983 among television broadcasts in general. Do you have a sports website? Even though the team came up short in Super Bowl XVI, Anderson is one of the best quarterbacks the Bengals have ever had. The Bengals then tried to run Johnson into the line on second down, but lost a yard when a charging rush prevented the Bengals from executing their blocking assignments. Pat McInally The Harvard grad achieved a perfect score on the Wonderlic Test that NFL clubs use to assess intelligence. Collinsworth and Ross became the second pair of teammates to each have 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl. The Bengals' first Super Bowl appearance came at the end of the 1981 season. Future Hall-of-Fame left tackle Anthony Muoz has said his most memorable moment of the day is Bengals rookie receiver Cris Collinsworth squeezing into pantyhose in order to get an extra layer. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The Bengals could only advance to their 25 before having Pat McInally boot a 47-yard punt, and with just over 4 minutes left in the half, Montana led the 49ers on another scoring drive. Munoz was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998 and is well-deserving of a list like this. This was also only the second Super Bowl to not take place in one of the three so-called 'big Super Bowl Cities' (the other was Houston in January 1974). He is currently fifth all-time on the Bengals receiving list with 6,698 yards. Riley also collected an awe-inspiring 65 interceptions, fourth-most when he retired in 1983. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Hes another easy addition to this list regardless of what he does on Sunday night. January 25, 1982 PONTIAC, Mich., Jan. 24 The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21, today to complete a three-year journey from ineptitude to glory. Ironically, hell be in the booth calling Super Bowl LVI this weekend when the Bengals play the Rams, 40 years after his first Super Bowl appearance. Record: 7-2-0, 1st in Ross would later perform at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXX. Gregg played in Super Bowls I and II as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Cincinnati Bengals roster for the 1988 NFL season. Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP, completing 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 18 yards and a touchdown on the ground. After returning the interception 25 yards, Wright fumbled while being tackled by Bengals guard Max Montoya, but San Francisco linebacker Willie Harper recovered the ball at the Bengals' 22. Cincinnati Begals quarterback Ken Anderson turns to make a handoff during the AFC championship game against the San Diego Chargers in Cincinnati on Jan. 10, 1982. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) poses with the Bengals' offensive line in Miami as they turn out for Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1989. History of Cincinnati's big game appearances, Joe Burrow, Bengals players say 'Send those refunds'. (AP Photo), Cincinnati Bengals tight end M.L. He was with the Bengals as a player from 1971-1986 and then again as a coach from 1993-2002. (AP Photo), Gregg allows gloves but left guard Dave Lapham famously thinks his Bengals O-line should go sleeveless even as the mercury hovers at 9 below. Then, running back Ricky Patton ran twice, advancing the ball to the 39-yard line. (AP Photo), San Diego Chargers defensive players Louie Kelcher, center, and Ray Presten, right, stop Cincinnati Bengals running back Charles Alexander, left, for a short gain during first quarter action of the AFC championship game in Cincinnati on Jan. 10, 1982. Two penalties and a 4-yard sack pushed them back to their own 37, but on third down, Anderson's 49-yard pass to Collinsworth (the longest play of the game) moved the ball to the San Francisco 14-yard line. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The game itself was largely a battle of field goals, but Esiason was the lone bright spot on offense. 1982 Super Bowl XVI 49ers Vs Bengals Mini Mega Ticket. The Bengals had the first opportunity to score early in the game. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He also gained 14 rushing yards and a touchdown on 6 carries. On Jan. 24, 1982, in Super Bowl XVI, the San Francisco 49ers beat them 26-21 at the Pontiac Silverdome outside of Detroit. Super Bowl 56 will make history for the Bengals franchise as they face a team other than the San Francisco 49ers for the first time. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. A win over the Chiefs would turn the clocks back to the 80s in Cincinnati, given it made two Super Bowl appearances before a serious team drought in the 90s and 2000s. He was on ABC's Monday Night Football, did 19 Super Bowls on Westwood One radio and most recently has been on the NFL Today on CBS as a studio analyst. Sam WycheWyche coached the Bengals through 1991, then led Tampa Bay from 1992-1995. On the day of the game, a 49ers bus which had Bill Walsh and Montana on board was stuck in traffic due to bad weather and a motorcade carrying then-Vice President George H. W. Bush. "If there's one thing I learned from Lombardi," Gregg says all those years later, "it was if you're going to play outdoors, you have to practice outdoors. Wersching's 4 field goals tied a Super Bowl record set by Green Bay Packers kicker Don Chandler in Super Bowl II. Steve Kreider Kreider caught 37 passes for five touchdowns in 1981. Before that appearance, they made two Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s before suffering a franchise drought in the 90s that spilled into the 2000s. Their line was anchored by defensive ends Ross Browner and Eddie Edwards, who did a great job stopping the run. "Honestly, I was playing a grabber," Lapham says when he also reminisces on the 20th anniversary. The game was broadcast on nationwide radio by CBS and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Jack Buck and color commentator Hank Stram. Glenn Bujnoch Bujnoch was an offensive lineman between 1976-1982 with the Bengals. The Bengals have an 0-3 record following Super Bowl 56. This time, a cast including Zac Taylor, Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and a Bengals team . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Wersching ended the drive with a 40-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 2314 lead with just 5 minutes left. Then it kind of became psychological. The 49ers then ran the ball on five consecutive plays, taking 3 minutes off the clock, to advance to the Cincinnati 6-yard line. James Brooks A four-time Pro Bowl player for the Bengals between 1984-1991, Brooks played against the Bengals prior to their first Super Bowl in the AFC championship "Freezer Bowl" as a San Diego Charger. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Another former Ohio State quarterback who has been compared to Burrow appreciates the comparison. This was the only playoff loss by the Bengals at Riverfront Stadium. The 49ers posted a 133 regular season record, and playoff wins over the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. Throughout their history, the Bengals have never won a Super Bowl. Gregg passes the torch of toughness to his Bengals in the bitterly cold weather embedding Cincinnati the week of the game with ominous game day weather forecasts. 5Times targeted. The 1982 Cincinnati Bengals roster for the NFL regular season and playoffs He had 65 career interceptions. (AP Photo), Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, left, reacts as San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts, right, looks dejected after the Bengals defeated the Chargers in the AFC championship in Cincinnati on Jan. 10, 1982. Super Bowl XVI also became one of the most watched broadcasts in American television history, with more than 85 million viewers, and a final national Nielsen rating of 49.1 (a 73 share).[4]. It was more like, 'Where are we? Patton was the game's leading rusher with 55 yards on 17 carries. Covered everything exposed. "I mean regular gloves, just like you would wear around driving your car or something. At left tackle, Munoz protected Anderson in Super Bowl XVI and Boomer Esiason later on in Super Bowl XXII. Fullback Pete Johnson was the leading rusher on the team with 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. [5] Automotive executives Tom Murphy (GM), Henry Ford II (Ford), John J. Riccardo (Chrysler), and Gerald C. Meyers (AMC) were all members of the Detroit host committee. Cornerback Louis Breeden remembers it being so cold in practice that it hurt. 1 seed. Stanford Jennings His 93-yard kickoff return late in the third quarter gave the Bengals a 13-6 lead going into the final quarter. (AP Photo/Harold P. Matosian), Cincinnati Bengals coach Forrest Gregg is carried off the field by jubilant players and fans after the Bengals defeated the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship playoff game in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 10, 1982. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Before we start, lets set the rules for the selection process. Rick Razzano Razzano was a Bengal linebacker between 1980-1984. 1982 Cincinnati Bengals Roster & Players Previous Season Next Season Record: 7-2-0, 1st in AFC Central Division ( Schedule and Results ) Coach: Forrest Gregg (7-2-0) Points For: 232 (25.8/g) 4th of 28 Points Against: 177 (19.7/g) 15th of 28 Expected W-L: 5.9-3.1 SRS: 3.63 (9th of 28), SOS: -2.48 Playoffs: Lost Wild Card 17-44 vs. New York Jets Don't rack your brain too hard looking for this one. 218 for 309, 2,495 yards, 12 td, 9 int, & 25 rushes for 85 yards and 4 td, 64 rushes for 207 yards, 1 td, & 14 catches for 85 yards and 1 td, 156 rushes for 622 yards, 7 td, & 31 catches for 267 yards and 0 td, 49 catches for 700 yards, 1 td, & 1 rush for -11 yards and 0 td, 23 catches for 320 yards, 1 td, & 3 rushes for 15 yards and 0 td, 6.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered, 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered, 3.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered, 2.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered, 2.5 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered, 4.5 sacks, 1 interception, 4 fumbles recovered, 1.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered, 0.0 sacks, 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered, 1.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The NFL Combine Finally Opened Up Workouts to Media, Revealing More About the NFL Than Draft Prospects, The 2023 NFL Draft Safety Class Has Versatility Which Represents Both Talent and Temptation, 2023 NFL Combine Results: Bench Press, 40-Yard Dash, Vertical, 3-Cone, and More, Buffalo Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott Has a Lot on His Plate Following Leslie Fraziers Departure. They defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round before sweeping aside the San Diego Chargers in . All Rights Reserved. As a broadcaster, he joined WLWT locally then advanced to be a sideline reporter for ESPN's Sunday Night Football. Glenn Cameron The former first-round pick was the starting right inside linebacker. The band later performed the Canadian National Anthem, which was not televised. Breedon's interception came on the Bengals six yard line. Anderson's lasers cut the Arctic for two touchdowns and no picks on 14 of 22 passing for 161 yards. After leaving, he played for the Jets and Cardinals before returning to finish his career in Cincinnati in 1997. All rights reserved. But the cold front for the Freezer Bowl moves in during Lombardi's first NFL championship game in 1960 on an icy mud patch in Philadelphia, ending with the Packers on the Eagles 10 down, 17-13. Do you have a blog? Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. The Riverfront Stadium scoreboard, locked at Bengals 27, Chargers 7. Super Bowl XVI wasJan. 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome and Super Bowl XXIII was Jan. 22, 1989, atJoe Robbie Stadium,Miami, Florida. Cris Collinsworth In his second Super Bowl, he led the team in receiving yards with 40 on three catches, which would be his final NFL appearance. All rights reserved. "Forrest said it was going to be like going to the dentist," Lapham says. A total of eight cities submitted bids: New Orleans, Detroit (Silverdome), Pasadena (Rose Bowl), Los Angeles (Coliseum), Miami, Seattle (Kingdome), Dallas (Cotton Bowl), and Houston (Rice Stadium). For the first time, a northern, cold weather climate city was picked to host a Super Bowl. The Bengals won 27-7. I'm not interested in seeing how tough of a man you are." The trainers calling the plays."[14]. The 49ers won 26-21 thanks to quarterback Joe Montana, but the Bengals offense definitely put up a fight. The game was played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Cincinnati Bengals tight end Dan Ross (89) celebrates his touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XVI Jan. 24, 1982, at the Silverdome. Ken Anderson's moustache. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 13:51, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1982_Cincinnati_Bengals_season&oldid=1142097525, Director of Player Personnel Pete Brown, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 13:51. Here's what to know about the Bengals' Super Bowl history. Super Bowl XVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1981 season. Facing third down, Anderson tried to connect with Curtis in the end zone, but 49ers safety Dwight Hicks intercepted the ball at the 5-yard line and returned it 27 yards to the 32. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Prior to Super Bowl XXIII, he took part in a televised NFL talent contest showing off his talents as a singer. Cincinnati's 356 yards of offense to San Francisco's 275 marked the first time in Super Bowl history that a team which was outgained in total yards won. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. How have they fared in their previous appearances to Super Bowl 56? The College Football Hall of Famer coached with the Bengals from 1995-2002. The 49ers defeated the Bengals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The 49ers defeated the Bengals. Ross died at age 49 in 2004 n New Hampshire. Ross caught 11 passes (the most ever by a tight end in a Super Bowl) and he was tied for the most receptions in a Super Bowl with Jerry Rice (who tied Ross' record in the Super Bowl rematch 7 years later), Deion Branch, and Wes Welker until Demaryius Thomas broke that record in Super Bowl XLVIII with 13 catches. However, late in the third quarter, that changed when Jennings returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. The Bengals tried an onside kick, but Clark recovered the ball for the 49ers, allowing San Francisco to run out the clock to win the game. The domed stadium saved the crowd at the game from the cold and snowy weather, but the weather did affect traffic and other logistical issues related to the game. Ira Hillary Hillary was a wide receiver from 1987-1989. He was selected to his only Pro Bowl the following season. Arms, hands, face. It was amazing." Cincinnati tight end Dan Ross recorded a Super Bowl-record 11 receptions (still the most ever by a tight end in a Super Bowl) for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a broadcaster, he worked for NBC and CBS. 1981 Cincinnati Bengals Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees Previous Season Next Season Record: 12-4-0, 1st in AFC Central Division ( Schedule and Results ) Coach: Forrest Gregg (12-4-0) Points For: 421 (26.3/g) 3rd of 28 Points Against: 304 (19.0/g) 12th of 28 Expected W-L: 10.9-5.1 SRS: 5.51 (4th of 28), SOS: -1.81 Playoffs: Below are all the NFL teams that have won two or more Super Bowls. Ray Horton Horton was a cornerback for the Bengals between 1983-1988 then moved on to Dallas for 1989-1992 and was part of the Cowboys' Super Bowl XXVII champions. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts, who is in the Hall while Anderson has been inexplicably frozen out, floats 15 of 28 for 185 yards, a TD and two picks. The Bengals are putting together something incredibly impressive in Cincinnati, as the team searches for its first Super Bowl win. Pro Football Network, LLC. Except tight end M.L. Bass was murdered at age 33 in 1989 in Texas. Join our linker program. (Gregg was on the roster for the Dallas Cowboys for Super Bowl VI, but did not play.) Leon White A Bengal from 1986-1991, White started at left outside linebacker. The 49ers defeated the Bengals by the score of 26-21 to win their first Super Bowl. He sat behind Anderson his rookie year but took over the starting job in 1985. Lewis Billups Billups was the starting left cornerback and played for the Bengals between 1986-1991. Bobby Kemp Kemp was a rookie strong safety in 1981 and played with the Bengals through 1986. Billups died at age 30 in 1994 in a car crash. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held in a cold-weather city. It was the first year in which the Bengals made the playoffs for a second-consecutive season, and they would not do so again for another 30 years. "Big Hands Johnson. Wersching's squib kickoffs caused 2 Cincinnati fumbles; the 49ers recovered one of them, leading to their 2nd field goal. Free shipping for many products! He also rushed 4 times for 15 yards and a score on the ground. He was a Bengal from 1987-1992 and part of their SWAT-team secondary. Three-year veteran defensive back Dwight Hicks led the team with nine interceptions, which he returned for 239 yards and a touchdown, giving the secondary a total of 23. It wasn't like they were deflated. MORE:Joe Burrow, Bengals players say 'Send those refunds'. This was the first touchdown of the game and the only one the Bengals scored all day. The game was played in the Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit, MI. On that play, the 49ers only had 10 players on the field because linebacker Keena Turner, who was seriously ill with chicken pox during Super Bowl week, missed a call to enter the game.