1981 Cincinnati Bengals season

NFL team season December 2013 March 2026 Cincinnati Bengals 1981 12–4 1st AFC Central Forrest Gregg Lindy Infante Hank Bullough Paul Brown Paul Brown Riverfront Stadium Won Divisional Playoffs(vs. Bills) 28–21Won AFC Championship(vs. Chargers) 27–7Lost Super Bowl XVI(vs. 49ers) 21–26 Bengals seasons thumb|The Bengals playing against the 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. The 1981 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 14th overall. The team won their first AFC Championship, but lost Super Bowl XVI to San Francisco. Cincinnati had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season. On December 13, quarterback Ken Anderson threw two touchdown passes as the Bengals clinched the division with a 17–10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals' only other rival for the division title by that point in the season. Ken Anderson led the NFL in passing in 1981 with a 98.5 rating. On January 3, 1982, the Bengals beat Buffalo, 28–21, in an AFC divisional playoff game. A week later, playing in their first AFC Championship Game in brutally cold weather, the Bengals defeated San Diego 27–7 at Riverfront Stadium. In a temperature of -9 F with a wind-chill factor of -59 F, this game is referred to as the Freezer Bowl. In Super Bowl XVI on January 24, 1982, in Pontiac, Michigan, the Bengals trailed 20–0 at halftime and lost to San Francisco, 26–21. Offseason Before the season, the Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants. NFL draft 1981 NFL draft 1981 Cincinnati Bengals 1 10 David Verser Wide receiver Kansas yes 2 37 Cris Collinsworth Wide receiver Florida yes yes 3 64 John Simmons Defensive back SMU yes 4 93 Guy Frazier Linebacker Wyoming yes 5 120 Benjie Pryor Tight end Pittsburgh 6 146 Rex Robinson Placekicker Georgia 7 176 Jeff Schuh Linebacker Minnesota yes 8 202 Bobby Kemp Defensive back Cal State Fullerton yes 9 229 Jim Hannula Offensive tackle Northern Illinois 9 230 Samoa Samoa Running back Washington State 10 258 Hubert Simpson Running back Tennessee 11 285 Robert Jackson Defensive back Central Michigan 12 312 Mark O'Connell Quarterback Ball State no https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/1981_draft.htm 1981 Cincinnati Bengals draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com October 6, 2014 Undrafted free agents + 1981 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeKen BrownWide receiverNebraskaJim DestefanoLinebackerCornellDennis DunnSafetyYale Personnel Staff / Coaches 1981 Cincinnati Bengals Owner/General Manager – Paul Brown President – John Sawyer Director of Player Personnel – Pete Brown Head Coach – Forrest Gregg Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Receivers – Lindy Infante Offensive Backfield – George Sefcik Tight Ends – Bruce Coslet Offensive Line – Jim McNally Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Hank Bullough Defensive Line – Dick Modzelewski Defensive Backfield – Dick LeBeau Special Teams – Bruce Coslet Strength – Kim Wood Roster 1981 Cincinnati Bengals 45 6 0 14 Ken Anderson quarterback 15 Turk Schonert 12 Jack Thompson American football 40 Charles Alexander running back 45 Archie Griffin 36 Jimmy Hargrove y 46 Pete Johnson American football, born 1954 84 Don Bass American football 80 Cris Collinsworth y 85 Isaac Curtis 86 Steve Kreider 87 Pat McInally P 81 David Verser y 83 M. L. Harris 89 Dan Ross American football 58 Blair Bush C 62 Dave Lapham G 65 Max Montoya G 60 Blake Moore American football C 78 Anthony Muñoz T 68 Mike Obrovac G/T 77 Mike Wilson offensive lineman T 79 Ross Browner DE 67 Gary Burley DE 73 Eddie Edwards American football DE 71 Rod Horn NT 72 Mike St. Clair DE 75 Wilson Whitley DT 50 Glenn Cameron ILB 52 Tom Dinkel OLB 49 Guy Frazier y OLB 53 Bo Harris OLB 55 Jim LeClair ILB 51 Rick Razzano linebacker ILB 59 Jeff Schuh y OLB 57 Reggie Williams linebacker OLB 34 Louis Breeden CB 21 Oliver Davis American football SS 42 Mike Fuller FS 44 Ray Griffin FS 27 Bryan Hicks FS 26 Bobby Kemp y SS 13 Ken Riley CB 25 John Simmons American football y CB 10 Jim Breech K 74 Glenn Bujnoch G IR 66 Jim Hannula y T IR 37 Robert Jackson safety y S IR 30 Dick Jauron S IR 29 Samoa Samoa y no RB IR 56 Ron Simpkins LB IR None - Vacant Source:https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/1981_roster.htm 1981 Cincinnati Bengals starters, roster, and players Pro-Football-Reference.com October 8, 2014https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vlUaAAAAIBAJ&pg=3862%2C1840749 Spokane Chronicle Washington Team rosters January 23, 1982 12 Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Location TV Time(EST) TV Announcers Attendance 1 September 6 Seattle Seahawks W 27–21 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Mike Adamle & Rocky Bleier 41,177 2 September 13 at New York Jets W 31–30 Shea Stadium NBC 4:00pm Charlie Jones & Len Dawson49,454 3 September 20 Cleveland Browns L 20–17 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy52,170 4 September 27 Buffalo Bills W 27–24 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Jay Randolph & Mike Haffner46,418 5 October 4 at Houston Oilers L 17–10 Astrodome NBC 1:00 pm Marv Albert & Jim Turner44,350 6 October 11 at Baltimore Colts W 41–19 Memorial Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy33,060 7 October 18 Pittsburgh Steelers W 34–7 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Don Criqui & John Brodie57,090 8 October 25 at New Orleans Saints L 17–7 Louisiana Superdome NBC 1:00 pm Mike Adamle & Mike Haffner46,336 9 November 1 Houston Oilers W 34–21 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy54,736 10 November 8 at San Diego Chargers W 40–17 Jack Murphy Stadium NBC 4:00 pm Dick Enberg & Merlin Olsen51,259 11 November 15 Los Angeles Rams W 24–10 Riverfront Stadium CBS 1:00 pm Vin Scully & Hank Stram56,836 12 November 22 Denver Broncos W 38–21 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Bob Costas & Gene Washington57,207 13 November 29 at Cleveland Browns W 41–21 Cleveland Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy75,186 14 December 6 San Francisco 49ers L 21–3 Riverfront Stadium CBS 1:00 pm Tim Ryan & Fred Dryer56,796 15 December 13 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 17–10 Three Rivers Stadium NBC 1:00 pm Don Criqui & John Brodie50,623 16 December 20 at Atlanta Falcons W 30–28 Fulton County Stadium NBC 4:00 pm Charlie Jones & Len Dawson35,972 Game summaries Week 1 Seahawks 21 0 0 0 Bengals 0 10 10 7 September 6 Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati 1:00 p.m. 41,177 69 F; wind 8 mph on Bob Frederic NBC yes Q1 SEA Harris 29 yard interception return (Herrera kick) SEA 7–0 Q1 SEA Largent 36 yard pass from Zorn (Herrera kick) SEA 14–0 Q1 SEA Jodat 1 yard run (Herrera kick) SEA 21–0 Q2 CIN Breech 25 yard field goal SEA 21–3 Q2 CIN Johnson 3 yard run (Breech kick) SEA 21–10 Q3 CIN Breech 40 yard field goal SEA 21–13 Q3 CIN Griffin 3 yard run (Breech kick) SEA 21–20 Q4 CIN Johnson 2 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 27–21 yes https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198109060cin.htm Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals - September 6th, 1981 Pro-Football-Reference.com February 7, 2022 Week 2 Bengals 0 10 7 14 Jets 0 17 3 10 September 13 Shea Stadium Jerry Seeman NBC Week 3 Browns 3 10 0 7 Bengals 0 0 3 14 September 20 Riverfront Stadium Red Cashion NBC Week 4 Bills 0 14 0 10 0 Bengals 0 10 0 14 3 September 27 Riverfront Stadium Week 5 Bengals 3 0 7 0 Oilers 0 7 7 3 October 4 Astrodome Indoors (dome) Week 6 Bengals 3 14 7 17 Colts 0 5 0 14 October 11 Memorial Stadium Fred Wyant Week 7 Steelers 0 0 0 7 Bengals 10 3 14 7 October 18 Riverfront Stadium Jerry Markbreit Don Criqui and John Brodie NBC Week 8 Bengals 0 0 0 7 Saints 0 0 7 10 October 25 Louisiana Superdome Indoors (dome) Tom Dooley Week 9 Oilers 7 0 0 14 Bengals 0 24 3 7 November 1 Riverfront Stadium Week 10 Bengals 10 21 0 9 Chargers 0 10 0 7 November 8 Jack Murphy Stadium Fred Silva Week 11 Rams 0 3 0 7 Bengals 10 0 0 14 November 15 Riverfront Stadium Bob McElwee Vin Scully and Hank Stram CBS Week 12 Broncos 0 7 0 14 Bengals 14 14 0 10 November 22 Riverfront Stadium Jerry Markbreit Week 13 Bengals 14 14 0 13 Browns 0 7 0 14 November 29 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 12:00 p.m. CST 36 F; wind 10 mph on Jim Tunney Bob Costas and Bob Trumpy NBC yes Q1 CIN Johnson 5 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick) CIN 7–0 Q1 CIN Collinsworth 39 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick) CIN 14–0 Q2 CIN Collinsworth 7 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick) CIN 21–0 Q2 CLE Feacher 30 yard pass from Sipe (Bahr kick) CIN 21–7 Q2 CIN Harris 2 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick) CIN 28–7 Q4 CLE Pruitt 1 yard run (Bahr kick) CIN 28–14 Q4 CIN Johnson 11 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 35–14 Q4 CIN Johnson 1 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 42–14 Q4 CLE Pruitt 7 yard pass from McDonald (Bahr kick) CIN 42–21 yes Pete Johnson 21 Rush, 105 Yds https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198111290cle.htm Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns - November 29th, 1981 Pro-Football-Reference.com February 7, 2022 Week 14 49ers 7 7 0 7 Bengals 0 3 0 0 December 6 Riverfront Stadium Jerry Seeman Tim Ryan and Fred Dryer CBS Week 15 Bengals 0 10 7 0 Steelers 0 3 0 7 December 13 Three Rivers Stadium Red Cashion Don Criqui and John Brodie NBC Week 16 Bengals 10 17 0 3 Falcons 0 21 0 7 December 20 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Fred Wyant NBC Playoffs Week Date Opponent Result Location TV Time(EST) TV Announcers Attendance Divisional January 3, 1982 Buffalo Bills W 28–21 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00pm Dick Enberg & Merlin Olsen55,420 Conference Championship January 10, 1982 San Diego Chargers W 27–7 Riverfront Stadium NBC 1:00pm Dick Enberg & Merlin Olsen46,302 Super Bowl January 24, 1982 N San Francisco 49ers L 26–21 Pontiac Silverdome CBS 4:00pm Pat Summerall & John Madden81,270 Divisional Bills 0 7 7 7 Bengals 14 0 7 7 January 3 Riverfront Stadium Pat Haggerty Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen NBC Conference Championship Chargers 0 7 0 0 Bengals 10 7 3 7 January 10 Riverfront Stadium Fred Silva Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen NBC Super Bowl 49ers 7 13 0 6 Bengals 0 0 7 14 January 24 Pontiac Silverdome Indoors (dome) Pat Haggerty Pat Summerall and John Madden CBS Standings Awards and records Ken Anderson, NFL MVPNFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 400 Ken Anderson, Bert Bell Awardhttps://maxwellfootballclub.org/the-bert-bell-award/ The Bert Bell Award Maxwell Football Club February 7, 2022 February 13, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230213123456/https://maxwellfootballclub.org/the-bert-bell-award/ dead Ken Anderson, Franchise Record (since broken), Touchdown Passes, 29 Passes NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 37 Ken Anderson, Led NFL, Passer Rating, 98.4 Rating NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 447 Milestones Ken Anderson, Franchise Record (since broken), Most Touchdown Passes in One Season, 29 Passes Cris Collinsworth, 1st 1,000 Yard Receiving Season (1,009 yards)NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 442 Pete Johnson, 1,000 Yard Rushing Season (1,077 yards)NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 437 References External links 1981 Cincinnati Bengals at Pro-Football-Reference.com 1981 Cincinnati Bengals at JT-SW.com 1981 Cincinnati Bengals - Team History at Bengals' Official website (Bengals.com) Cincinnati Bengals Category:American Football Conference championship seasons Category:Cincinnati Bengals seasons Category:AFC Central championship seasons Cinc