Mike Brown: Lack of honoring former players 'probably my fault'
Pleas for the Bengals to do more in honoring former players have not fallen on deaf ears. Mike Brown admitted on Tuesday he is reconsidering some type of way to honor past players around Paul Brown Stadium after years of resistance to the concept.
The Bengals are the only team in the NFL not to have a hall of fame, ring of honor, statues or annual ceremonies to celebrate former players.
"I understand the players," Brown said at the team's annual media luncheon. "They want to be remembered. I think it is a good thing to do that. We have never traded here on nostalgia. That's probably my fault. Because a little of it is a good thing. Fans like that sort of thing. What I'm saying is I'm stewing on it. I'm aware of the discomfort with our position."
Recently, former Bengals offensive lineman Willie Anderson aired his discomfort on The Enquirer 2005 Bengals podcast series. Anderson played 12 years in Cincinnati, making four Pro Bowls and three times All-Pro.
"Tell fans to start pushing the Bengals to get a Ring of Honor," Anderson said. "Ken Anderson deserves to be in the NFL Hall of Fame. If we don't honor our own guys, why should anyone else? The people who keep getting in every year, their own teams honor them. There is nothing at the Bengals stadium even for Anthony Munoz who is a Hall of Famer. If there is going to be outside Bengals hatred by people at least inside our own family it should be Bengals love and we are going to honor our own guys. Do what Baltimore does, every two games they honor somebody. Man, why can't we do that?"
The Bengals currently have pictures of former players at the Southwest entrance, but have no reference to any players or teams around the inside of the stadium. There are no officially retired numbers, though no player wears Munoz's No. 78 during the regular season.
As for why the Brown pushed against such celebration of the past, the owner pointed the finger inward.
"It's me, it's in my bones," he said. "Like everyone, I tend to look backward some, but I'm always focused on what's coming next. We've had decades now of wonderful players here. I can understand why people feel we should have celebrated them more and perpetuated their achievements better than we have. I'm probably at fault."
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The only individual name recognition remains his father as the name of the stadium. Brown said he originally debated if he should name the stadium after his father or just call it Bengals Stadium. He eventually succumbed, even though he says his father would have told him not to. As for this, he wouldn't guarantee instant changes, but understands the team has fallen short in that area.
"We have no statues. We have no Hall of Fame. We have no Ring of Honor," he said. "We do have large pictures of the players in the foyer of the west side. But is that enough? Probably not. I confess it isn't. Maybe someone who comes after me can do better with this."