*** Official Indefinite Cincinnati Bengals Thread *** GO REDS!!! (2 Viewers)

[eighsse2]

Bengals are asking legends to pay for their own flight and hotel to attend ring of honor ceremony​

The Bengals are cheaper than a 99 cent store.
by James Dator
Aug 22, 2025, 7:09 AM PDT

Boomer Esiason read his invite to the Bengals’ ring of honor ceremony verbatim during his episode of Boomer & Gio on Friday morning, and it’s more mind-boggling than you can possibly imagine.

1. Former players will need to pay for their own flights to Cincinnati
2. They were told to “RSVP quickly” to ensure they have a discount code for a hotel room, which they still need to pay for
3. The players are only given two tickets to Jets vs. Bengals, with the option to purchase more
4. They had one day to respond to the team and say whether they’re going
5. The tickets aren’t even for a box, just in the stadium stands

Keep in mind that this isn’t some mass email that went out to hundreds of former players. It only went to the EIGHT living members currently in the ring of honor. Those players are:

Boomer Esiason
Corey Dillon
Tim Krumrie
Chad Johnson
Willie Anderson
Isaac Curtis
Ken Anderson
Anthony Muñoz

Boomer said he’s not sure he’s going to attend given the details and joked that Aaron Glenn might let him tag along on the Jets flight out of New York so he doesn’t need to pay for airfare. Of this list of guys sure, some made a lot of money playing in the NFL like Chad Johnson, but veterans who played in the 1970s and 80s didn’t make ludicrous money playing in the league.

None of that should matter though, because this is an entirely new level of cheap. Asking players to book their own rooms with a discount code is simply insulting, and it’s ridiculous that this franchise keeps existing without a change in ownership.

Boo hoo.

 

[Desert_Power]

None of that should matter though, because this is an entirely new level of cheap. Asking players to book their own rooms with a discount code is simply insulting, and it’s ridiculous that this franchise keeps existing without a change in ownership.

Owning a sports franchise should be so fun and these teams are just crushing it financially. Blows my mind to act like this.

 

[eighsse2]

Hendrickson's contract has been reworked, giving him a $14 million dollar raise this year, no extension.

 

[zeeshan2]

Trey Hendrickson's revised contract does not include a no-tag clause, per Jordan Schultz. According to Over The Cap’s Nick Korte, it would cost the Bengals about $36 million to tag Hendrickson in 2026.

 

[rockaction]

None of that should matter though, because this is an entirely new level of cheap. Asking players to book their own rooms with a discount code is simply insulting, and it’s ridiculous that this franchise keeps existing without a change in ownership.

Owning a sports franchise should be so fun and these teams are just crushing it financially. Blows my mind to act like this.

You know what's weird? I might be pretty naive about greed and what people will do because I can't fathom acting that way, but these people are behaving in a way that evinces that they're leveraged to the max. I don't know the details, but I find it hard to believe they're acting this way just because they can or don't care. I'd be mortified to have people telling these stories about me.

 

[Runkle]

None of that should matter though, because this is an entirely new level of cheap. Asking players to book their own rooms with a discount code is simply insulting, and it’s ridiculous that this franchise keeps existing without a change in ownership.

Owning a sports franchise should be so fun and these teams are just crushing it financially. Blows my mind to act like this.

You know what's weird? I might be pretty naive about greed and what people will do because I can't fathom acting that way, but these people are behaving in a way that evinces that they're leveraged to the max. I don't know the details, but I find it hard to believe they're acting this way just because they can or don't care. I'd be mortified to have people telling these stories about me.

Freakanomics just updated their podcast episode from last year regarding the NFL teams "employee satisfaction" survey. A ton of players were asked about how they're treated by management. Some get fancy hotel rooms and buffet meals, other teams have rats in the locker rooms and have to pay for their meals in camp and during the season. One player noted that he pooled together with some teammates to all buy a suite together so that their families could watch the games with some kind of security because otherwise they'd be out in the bleachers with the rowdy drunks. It was pretty interesting to hear how the teams are run behind the scenes. Once the survey got published it embarrassed some of the owners enough to make changes, which was in the update episode from this offseason.

In short, the general feeling is a lot of these guys are just super cheap misers and don't want to spend, they want to hoard.

 

[rockaction]

None of that should matter though, because this is an entirely new level of cheap. Asking players to book their own rooms with a discount code is simply insulting, and it’s ridiculous that this franchise keeps existing without a change in ownership.

Owning a sports franchise should be so fun and these teams are just crushing it financially. Blows my mind to act like this.

You know what's weird? I might be pretty naive about greed and what people will do because I can't fathom acting that way, but these people are behaving in a way that evinces that they're leveraged to the max. I don't know the details, but I find it hard to believe they're acting this way just because they can or don't care. I'd be mortified to have people telling these stories about me.

Freakanomics just updated their podcast episode from last year regarding the NFL teams "employee satisfaction" survey. A ton of players were asked about how they're treated by management. Some get fancy hotel rooms and buffet meals, other teams have rats in the locker rooms and have to pay for their meals in camp and during the season. One player noted that he pooled together with some teammates to all buy a suite together so that their families could watch the games with some kind of security because otherwise they'd be out in the bleachers with the rowdy drunks. It was pretty interesting to hear how the teams are run behind the scenes. Once the survey got published it embarrassed some of the owners enough to make changes, which was in the update episode from this offseason.

In short, the general feeling is a lot of these guys are just super cheap misers and don't want to spend, they want to hoard.

Yeah, I allow for my own naivete when I write that. I guess I was raised differently or just hold different values. I would be mortified not to just be seen that way because that's hardly Kantian, but because I'd be horrified if I was such a miser that I was causing people pain and anguish. I mean, that's just ****ty.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Let's see if there's a move or two ahead of cut downs. Definitely feels like a couple guys at the bottom of the roster will be changed.

Maybe they are seeing what's available and if there is nothing there they circle back to Risner with the Hendrickson deal out to bed. Interesting to note the Risner visit to Seattle has yet to happen.

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Rypien signed to the practice squad @Deamon

-QG

 

[Deamon]

Rypien signed to the practice squad @Deamon

-QG

look out burrow.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Yesssss and now we finally have signed Risner!
-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Bengals have the best Owner who is also their GM in the league
-QG

 

[odin33]

Bengals have the best Owner who is also their GM in the league
-QG

Relish it, we don't get many of these days.

 

[King of the Jungle]

Rypien signed to the practice squad @Deamon

-QG

look out burrow.

This is my favorite ongoing take in FBG land.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Deamon supports his fam - gotta respect that
-QG

 

[eighsse2]

UGLY win. The Browns always give us a hard time these last few years.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Unsurprisingly Pennel gets signed to the 53. Patrick on Reserved Injured so Risner will be starting.

Nice that they are signing more useful FAs close to the season than I can ever remember.
-QG

 

[bcat01]

Unsurprisingly Pennel gets signed to the 53. Patrick on Reserved Injured so Risner will be starting.

Nice that they are signing more useful FAs close to the season than I can ever remember.
-QG

Could have been really bad if they did not sign Risner last week.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Risner seemed to be a long road to get to where they knew they would go. Seemed a good sign when he didn't even bother with his Seattle visit.

And it is good that guys are picking us as a good opportunity.

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Welp we'll see who we add to the team.



-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Mike Bleepin' White and Cincy kid Sean Clifford it is.

-QG

 

[Timmay]

Browning going to surprise everyone and get the Bengals into the playoffs. Keep slinging it young man! Love that he takes snaps under center instead of always in the shotgun like Burrow.

 

[eighsse2]

Browning going to surprise everyone and get the Bengals into the playoffs. Keep slinging it young man! Love that he takes snaps under center instead of always in the shotgun like Burrow.

Love your optimism, I'm trying to be there.