CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals will add HB Corey Dillon and NT Tim Krumrie into the Ring of Honor this year.
They will join the likes of Ken Anderson, Willie Anderson, Paul Brown, Isaac Curtis, Boomer Esiason, Chad Johnson, Anthony Munoz and Ken Riley this fall.
This year, the Ring of Honor game will take place on September 23, when the Bengals host the Commanders at Paycor Stadium. That Monday Night Football game will air on WCPO at 8:15 p.m.
Dillon and Krumrie were selected for the honor by season ticket members, who voted for them from a list of 11 nominees.
The full list of 2024 nominees included:
- Jim Breech
- James Brooks
- Cris Collinsworth
- Corey Dillon
- David Fulcher
- Tim Krumrie
- Dave Lapham
- Max Montoya
- Lemar Parrish
- Bob Trumpy
- Reggie Williams
Dillon, who played for the team from 1997 through 2003, was unquestionably the best running back in Bengals history. He rushed for at least 1,100 yards in six of his seven seasons with the club. He’s all-time leading rusher in the club history with 8,061 yards on 1,865 carries. He ran for 45 touchdowns.
He was a big (6-foot-1, 225-pound) back with breakaway speed.
He's still the Bengals' all-time leader in rushing attempts, rushing yards and 100-yard rushing games. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in three consecutive years from 1999 through 2001.
"When I first heard the news from Mike Brown, it brought more joy to that day instantly," said Dillon. "We had a great conversation. It means a lot. It's my legacy. I'm happy and fortunate that this is happening at this time. I'm ecstatic about it. I have to thank the fans for the love and support. It's been an awesome year getting to know everybody. I can't thank them enough."
Tim Krumrie and Corey Dillon are this year’s Ring of Honor inductees!
On September 23rd at halftime vs the Commanders, they will be recognized with a special induction ceremony.
🔗: https://t.co/BzcudyPsA2 pic.twitter.com/ABg5jI6jCh
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 18, 2024
Krumrie, according to the Bengals, was one of the most notable draft selections in team history "in terms of value." He was selected by the Bengals in the 10th round of the 1983 draft and went on to spend his entire 12-year football career in Cincinnati.
During his time with the team, he earned a reputation for being tough and physical.
He helped lead the Bengals to Super Bowl XXII in 1988, when the team was tied for the best record in the NFL. That game went down in Cincinnati history for multiple reasons: The Bengals lost that Super Bowl to the San Francisco 49ers; and Krumrie suffered a severe leg injury in the first quarter and was carted off the field.
It was the NFL injury seen 'round the world, seared into the minds of many who saw it happen; Krumrie ultimately suffered four breaks in his lower leg.
"I'd like to thank the Cincinnati Bengals fans for their votes and for recognizing my play on the field and the effort I put into every game," said Krumrie. "I'm proud to have my name alongside my 1988 teammates who helped make my dream of playing in a Super Bowl come true, as well as the other deserving Ring of Honor members. I'd especially like to thank Mike Brown for giving this farm boy from Wisconsin a chance to succeed in the NFL. This is an honor beyond anything I could imagine."
This year will be the Ring of Honor's fourth year in existence. Founded in 2021, Bengals officials said the honor would be a recurring tradition, with names of its inductees emblazoned on the east facade of Paycor Stadium.
The first inductees, Paul Brown and Anthony Munoz, were selected by Bengals officials when the Ring of Honor installation was announced in 2021; later that year, season ticket holders voted they would be joined by Ken Anderson and Ken Riley.
In 2022, Willie Anderson and Isaac Curtis became the fifth and sixth inductees into the Ring of Honor, an elite Bengals club that represents former players, coaches and others who had a significant impact on the franchise. Both Anderson and Curtis were formally inducted on Sept. 29, 2022 during halftime of the game against the Miami Dolphins.
In 2023, Boomer Esiason and Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson became the seventh and eighth inductees into the Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor.
