Summary
The Bengals in 2017 celebrated their 50th season by creating a commemorative 50th logo for team uniforms and apparel, introducing special signage throughout the stadium and the city, and honoring Bengals legends at halftime of each home game. On the field, the Bengals finished the 2017 season in third place of the AFC North Division at 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The offense failed to score a TD in the team's first two games, which included a 20-0 shutout at home in the opener vs. Baltimore and 13-9 loss to Houston on national TV on Thursday Night Football. Offensive coordinator Ken Zampese was fired on Sept. 15, and QBs coach Bill Lazor was named as his replacement. Despite the adjustment, the Bengals ended the season ranked last in the NFL in total offense, averaging just 280.5 yards per game. The team allowed 40 sacks and produced just a 3.6-yard average per rush. The Bengals' defense was on the field for 184 more plays than the offense (1146 to 962), the equivalent of nearly three extra games of action. That perhaps contributed to additional injuries to defensive players, as the Bengals relied heavily upon backups as the season progressed. The defense, which ranked No. 2 in the NFL through Week 6, fell to No. 18 by the end of the season. After a 33-7 loss vs. Chicago in Week 14 and a 34-7 loss at Minnesota in Week 15 dropped their record to 5-9, the Bengals rebounded to win their final two games of the season and knock both of their opponents — Detroit and Baltimore — out of playoff contention. The Bengals' win in the season finale came in dramatic fashion, as the team stunned the Ravens at Baltimore with a knockout TD in the final minute to eliminate the Ravens from the playoffs. QB Andy Dalton hit WR Tyler Boyd for a 49-yard score on fourth down with 44 seconds left to give the Bengals the win. The win helped elevate Buffalo to the playoffs for the first time since 1999, and Bills fans showed their appreciation of Dalton's last-minute heroics by donating heavily to his charity. Bills backers made a large number of $17 contributions ($1 for each of the 17 consecutive non-playoff seasons for the Bills), and in the end, more than $450,000 in donations were made to the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation. LB Carl Lawson led all NFL rookies in sacks (8.5) in 2017, and DT Geno Atkins led all NFL interior linemen in sacks (nine). Bengals co-founder Pete Brown, 74, died on Dec. 12. Brown, who was senior vice president of player personnel, had worked in the mid-1960s with his father, Paul, and brother, Mike, to bring pro football to Cincinnati. Two days after the season ended, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis signed a two-year extension through 2019. Offensive line coach Paul Alexander, the second-longest tenured assistant in Bengals history at 24 seasons, departed for the Dallas Cowboys after his contract was not renewed by Cincinnati.
League Rankings
| TOTAL | RUSH | PASS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | 32 (280.5) | 31 (85.4) | 27 (195.1) |
| DEFENSE | 18 (339.1) | 30 (127.9) | 8 (211.2) |
Year Totals
| PLAYS | FIRST DOWNS | NET YDS RUSH | NET YDS PASS | TOTAL NET YDS | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | 927 | 267 | 1366 | 3122 | 4488 | 290 |
| DEFENSE | 1091 | 325 | 2046 | 3379 | 5425 | 349 |
Individual Leaders
| PLAYER | CATEGORY |
|---|---|
| Randy Bullock | Scoring |
| Andy Dalton | Passing |
| Joe Mixon | Rushing |
| A.J. Green | Receptions |
| A.J. Green | Receiving Yards |
| Kevin Huber | Punting |
| Alex Erickson | Punt Returns |
| Alex Erickson | Kickoff Returns |
| Randy Bullock | Field Goals |
| Darqueze Dennard | Interceptions |
| Geno Atkins | Sacks |
Coaching Staff
| COACH | POSITION |
|---|---|
| Marvin Lewis | Head Coach |
| Paul Alexander | Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Line |
| Jacob Burney | Defensive Line |
| Kyle Caskey | Running Backs |
| Brayden Coombs | Assistant Special Teams / Defensive Quality Control |
| Robert Couch | Offensive Quality Control / Offensive Line |
| Kevin Coyle | Secondary |
| Jeff Friday | Assistant Strength and Conditioning |
| Paul Guenther | Defensive Coordinator |
| Jim Haslett | Linebackers |
| Jonathan Hayes | Tight Ends |
| Bill Lazor* | Quarterbacks |
| Marcus Lewis | Defensive Quality Control / Defensive Line |
| David Lippincott | Assistant Linebackers / Quality Control |
| Robert Livingston | Secondary |
| Chip Morton | Strength and Conditioning |
| Dan Pitcher | Offensive Assistant / Wide Receivers |
| Darrin Simmons | Special Teams Coordinator |
| James Urban | Wide Receivers |
| Ken Zampese** | Offensive Coordinator |
*Was Quarterbacks Coach for Games 1-2 and Offensive Coordinator for Games 3-16.
**Released after Game 2.
2017 NFL Draft: April 27 - 29
| ROUND | PLAYER | POSITION | COLLEGE | SELECTION NUMBER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Ross | WR | Washington | 9 |
| 2 | (sent to Minnesota in trade on 4-28-17) | 41 | ||
| 2 | Joe Mixon (acquired from Minnesota in trade on 4-28-17) | RB | Oklahoma | 48 |
| 3 | Jordan Willis | DE | Kansas State | 73 |
| 4a | Carl Lawson | LB | Auburn | 116 |
| 4b | Josh Malone (acquired from Minnesota in trade on 4-28-17) | WR | Tennessee | 128 |
| 4c | Ryan Glasgow | DT | Michigan | *138 |
| 5a | Jake Elliott | K | Memphis | 153 |
| 5b | J.J. Dielman | C | Utah | *176 |
| 6a | Jordan Evans | LB | Oklahoma | 193 |
| 6b | Brandon Wilson | S | Houston | 207 |
| 6 | (sent to Tennessee in trade on 4-29-17) | *217 | ||
| 7 | (sent to Tennessee in trade on 4-29-17) | 227 | ||
| 7 | Mason Schreck | TE | Buffalo |
*NOTE: The Bengals received four compensatory picks (Nos. 138, 176, 217 and 251).
Pro Bowl
Players selected for the 2017 Pro Bowl: DT Geno Atkins, WR A.J. Green, LS Clark Harris
