Bengalized is a term with origins among Cincinnati Bengals football fans and/or players. [1] It usually refers to a Cincinnati Bengals player who, after multiple seasons of poor team performance, develops hostility with the coaching staff or ownership operation, and cultivates pessimism about remaining with the team. This results in efforts by the player to prompt a trade or release from the team. [2] Bengalized can also refer to a Cincinnati Bengals fan who becomes frustrated after years of futility in losing seasons and/or playoff losses, ultimately ending their support for the franchise. [3]
Bengalized may also refer to a newly acquired Bengals player or draftee who, upon recognition of high talent and ability, becomes injured (or performs poorly) while playing for the Bengals, which essentially ruins a favorable NFL career.
The specific origin of the term is unknown, but may have roots in promising former Bengals quarterback Greg Cook who was a first round selection by the Bengals in the 1969 NFL draft. After posting outstanding numbers in the first three games of the 1969 season, a shoulder injury in his third game from a hit to his throwing arm effectively ended his NFL career. [4] [5]
Multiple other Cincinnati Bengals players who may also be known for becoming Bengalized are David Klingler, Akili Smith, Ki-Jana Carter, Carl Pickens, Dan Wilkinson, Chris Perry, Levi Jones, Corey Dillon, Chad Johnson, Carson Palmer, [6] [7] and Carlos Dunlap. [8]
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home games are held in downtown Cincinnati at Paycor Stadium.
Carson Hilton Palmer is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football for the USC Trojans, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 2002.
Marvin Roland Lewis Jr. is an American football coach who is an assistant head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, Lewis was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals for 16 seasons. He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens from 1996 to 2001, whose defense in 2000 set the record for the fewest points allowed in a 16-game season and led the franchise to their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXV. This success resulted in Lewis being named the Bengals' head coach, where he served from 2003 to 2018.
Gregory Lynn Cook was an American football quarterback who played two professional seasons, in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Cincinnati and was selected 5th overall in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Once considered a rising star for the Cincinnati Bengals, he had his pro career prematurely ended by recurring shoulder troubles.
Touraj Houshmandzadeh Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon State Beavers and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL draft. Houshmandzadeh played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2009, the Baltimore Ravens in 2010 and the Oakland Raiders in 2011. In 2016, he joined Long Beach Poly High School as a wide receivers coach and was elevated to varsity offensive coordinator in 2018. Houshmandzadeh also works as a football analyst for FS1.
John Carl Stofa was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
The National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award refers to a number of awards that are given to a National Football League (NFL) player who overcomes adversity to return to remarkable performance, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor performance. The awards have been presented by several organizations, including the Associated Press (AP), Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA), Sporting News, and United Press International (UPI). As of the 2022 season, Chad Pennington has been the only recipient of the award to have won the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in multiple seasons.
Michael Brown is an American football executive who is the owner of the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL). The son of Bengals co-founder Paul Brown, he joined the Bengals upon their founding in 1968 and assumed ownership after his father's death in 1991. Before beginning his career as a football executive, he played quarterback at Dartmouth.
Jordan William Palmer is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL), Arena Football League (AFL), and United Football League (UFL). He is the current director of quarterback development for the XFL. He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at UTEP.
The 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 37th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 39th overall, and the fourth under head coach Marvin Lewis. It began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 2005, defending their AFC North Division Championship title, and progress further through the playoffs than they made in the 2005 season having lost to Pittsburgh in the 1st round after losing star quarterback Carson Palmer to injury on the second play of the game. However, the team failed to improve on their 11–5 record to finish at 8–8 and missing the playoffs just the year after they made it to the playoffs.
Chad Ochocinco Johnson, known from 2008 to 2012 as Chad Ochocinco, is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football for the Santa Monica Corsairs and the Oregon State Beavers, and played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots during his tenure playing in the NFL. He was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft, and played for them for 10 seasons. Ochocinco, which means "eight five" in Spanish, was also his number. In 2011, Johnson was traded to the Patriots, for whom he played in Super Bowl XLVI.
Virgil R. Carter is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) and the World Football League (WFL) from 1967 through 1976.
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football franchise in the National Football League. Since starting off as an expansion franchise in the American Football League in 1968, they have appeared in three Super Bowls, but lost all three times, twice to the San Francisco 49ers and once to the Los Angeles Rams.
The 2005 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 38th overall, and the third under head coach Marvin Lewis. It was the team's first season with a winning record, playoff berth, and division title since 1990. In the fourteen seasons and 224 games in between (1991–2004), the Bengals' record was 71–153, a 0.317 winning percentage. It would be the Bengals' lone playoff appearance in a span of 18 years (1991–2008). Quarterback Carson Palmer got off to a strong start on his way to a solid 3836-yard season with 32 touchdown passes, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. Receiving many of Palmer's passes was Chad Johnson, who followed teammate Palmer to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, racking up an impressive 1,432 yards in receiving with nine touchdowns, many of which were followed by unique celebrations that made him a regular star on the sports highlight shows.
The 2002 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 33rd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 35th overall, and the second and final full season under head coach Dick LeBeau. With a record of 2–14, however, they were the worst team in football in 2002. The team's struggles continued as they lost their first seven contests losing by an average of 19 points in each game. The Bengals would finally garner their first victory Week 8 by soundly defeating the expansion Houston Texans on the road 38–3. The winning would not last long, however, as the Bengals lost their next six games to fall to 1–13, this lethargic result was later matched by the 2019 team, which also finished at 2–14.
The 1969 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's second year as a franchise, and their final season in professional football's American Football League (AFL).
The 2004 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 37th year in professional football and its 35th with the National Football League (NFL). The Bengals began to focus on the future, trading All-Pro running back Corey Dillon to the New England Patriots. That cleared the way for Rudi Johnson to start at running back. Carson Palmer was given the starting quarterback job. Palmer and the young Bengals would struggle early, losing five of their first seven games. As the season wore on, the Bengals began to hit their stride, as they climbed back to .500, at 6–6, before a sprained knee sent Palmer to the sidelines during a 35–28 road loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Carlos Dunlap is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football for the Florida Gators, where he won the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft.
The 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 44th season as a professional football team and 42nd in the National Football League (NFL). The Bengals entered the season coming off a 4–12 record in 2010. Head Coach Marvin Lewis was re-signed by the team. Quarterback (QB) Carson Palmer demanded a trade and was dealt to the Oakland Raiders. Wide receiver (WR) Chad Johnson was traded to the New England Patriots. Replacing the two, the organization drafted QB Andy Dalton and WR A. J. Green in the 2011 NFL Draft. The start of the 2011 season was hindered by a lockout, which cancelled the teams' mini-camp.