Who are the best passers in Cincinnati Bengals history?
Number 2: Boomer Esiason
Taken in the second round of the 1984 NFL draft, Boomer Esiason had two different stints with the Bengals. His first spanned from 1984 to 1992. The second was for just one season in 1997. Esiason was capable of putting up big numbers and played more games as a Bengal than almost any other quarterback. As a result, he ranks second on the Bengals all-time lists for games played (134), passing yards (27,149), and touchdowns (187).
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Esiason’s importance to the franchise was by no means solely based on statistics. He led the Bengals on two playoff runs including one that culminated in a Super Bowl appearance against the 49ers. This Super Bowl loss came in the form of a Joe Montana led drive which allowed the Niners to take the lead with 34 seconds remaining. The game represents the best opportunity the franchise has had to bring the Lombardi trophy to Ohio.
The problem for Esiason is that he didn’t exactly shine when the pressure was on. His highest passing total in the post season was 162 and three times he did not break 100 yards passing. Nonetheless, Boomer had a solid career with the Bengals and brought the team so close to the sweet taste of a championship.