The Cincinnati Bengals entered the National Football League in 1968. They struggled early on, not posting really successful numbers until the late ’70s and early ’80s. They would eventually appear in multiple Super Bowls and become very popular, and not only in their own region.
One of the most important positions on the football field is quarterback. Every offensive play, aside from a few trick plays, begins when the quarterback receives the ball. How a quarterback finishes the game in terms of passing yards usually has a big impact on how he fared for the team that day. When ranking by career passing yards, who are the top five Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks of all time?
#1 – Ken Anderson – 32,838 yards
Ken Anderson played with the team throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, having a few seasons where he put up big numbers.
#2 – Boomer Esiason – 27,149 yards
Boomer Esiason came to the team in the mid-1980s and was immediately popular and successful.
#3 – Carson Palmer – 18,724 yards (through 2009 season)
Carson Palmer came to Cincinnati from USC in the early 2000s and immediately established himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the league.
#4 – Jeff Blake – 15,134 yards
Jeff Blake couldn’t break into the starting role with the New York Jets, but after coming to the Bengals, he was feared around the league for both his arm strength and his ability to run the ball.
#5 – Jon Kitna – 10,707 yards
Jon Kitna proved to be not only a successful starting quarterback while in Cincinnati, but also a great teammate as he was an incredible locker room influence and mentor to Carson Palmer.
The Bengals have also had other notable quarterbacks on their rosters over the years, including David Klingler, Jack Thompson, Turk Schonert, Neil O’Donnell, Scott Mitchell, Jay Schroeder, Gus Frerotte and even Sam Wyche, who would become the team’s head coach. However, none of them would pass the 10,000-yard mark like the top five players mentioned above.