Advertisement
Advertisement

The HOF forgets, but Cincinnati won't

Advertisement

Sam Schneider  | June 8th, 2020

Ken Riley, the Hall of Famer who is not in the Hall of Fame, passed away yesterday at the age of 72. Anyone outside of Cincinnati likely skipped over the headline or said, “Who is Ken Riley?”, which is not a surprise to many… least of all the man himself.

On his potential to be enshrined in Canton, Riley said “I’ve always thought your work would speak for you. It’s like it’s working against me now because the older you get and the longer you stay out of it, people forget who you are.”

Advertisement

Cincinnati has not forgotten.

Position Change in NFL

The former quarterback from Florida A&M (which earned him the affectionate nickname “The Rattler”), Riley was converted to cornerback by Paul Brown after selecting him in round six of the 1969 draft. In a full career with the Bengals, he intercepted an astounding 65 passes (596 return yards and five returned for touchdowns)which is good for a tie for 5th all-time and had 18 fumble recoveries over 15 seasons. Only three of those 15 seasons did he finish with less than three interceptions. He was an integral part of the Bengals’ march to the Super Bowl after the 1981 season in which he nabbed five picks.

Advertisement

Miraculously never named to a Pro Bowl, Riley was selected as All-Pro three times, the last of which came following the 1983 season, which would be his swan song. At age 36, he snagged eight picks, scooped up two fumbles, and found himself in the end zone twice. It would be the last year of his playing career before moving to the sideline and eventually being hired as the head coach of his alma mater after a short stint as an NFL assistant.

HOF Snub

All four interception leaders ahead of him have busts in Canton. The two players behind him do, too. The player that he is tied with at number five is Charles Woodson (eligible next year) who will most certainly get in as well. Riley is another player who the Hall of Fame Selection Committee has victimized for playing in a small market and/or wearing orange and black. Names like Bob Johnson, Willie Anderson, the great Kenny Anderson, and two different players who wore #85 await the call, among others.

Riley was an amazing player and (by all accounts) a better person. It is quite possible that he may be inducted to the Hall of Fame posthumously, and deservedly so. If he does, there will be players from multiple teams to stand and cheer, led by former Bengals.

It’s just a shame he’ll never get to don the gold jacket.

Advertisement

Questions and comments?
thescorecrowsports@gmail.com

Hit us up on the Socials:

Twitter @thescorecrow
Reddit at u/TheScorecrow
Facebook at The Scorecrow
Instagram at The Scorecrow

Check out our Facebook Group where you can read and post articles at The Scorecrow

Reddit Group where everyone can post without fear of being banned at The Scorecrow

Follow Sam Schneider on Twitter @BuyAndSellYou

Main Image Credit: [getty src=”1060437292″ width=”594″ height=”510″ tld=”com”]

Advertisement

Check us out on our socials:   
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk 
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk

Advertisement

Share this:

Advertisement
Browse by Category:
Advertisement
Advertisement

Visit ChiefsBlitz.com for
hard-hitting KC Chiefs coverage.