02-07-2016, 01:51 PM
Which CB deserves to get in the NFL Hall of Fame first?
KEN RILEY.....15 yrs ('69-'83). All with Bengals. First Team All Pro '83. . . Finished top 10 in interceptions 4 times. Career high 9 in '76 (2nd in league). Career total 65 ranks 5th all-time. String of 15 consecutive seasons with an interception is also 5th all-time.5 interception return tds (28th all time). . . Finished top 10 (AFL) in kick off return average in '69. . . . ProFootballReference 2nd team '70's All Decade team. . . Incredibly durable athlete. Played in every game in 10 of his first 13 seasons missing a total of only 6 games in that span. His career high in interceptions and his only All Pro selection came in '83 at age 36.
LEMAR PARRISH.....13 yrs ('70-'82) First 8 with Bengals. 8 time Pro Bowl (6 with Bengals). 1 time All Pro ('79 Redskins). . . . Top 10 in interception 3 times. Career high 9 in '79 (2nd in league). Career total 47 (47th rank). 4 interception return tds. . . . Finished in top 10 punt return average twice including league leading 18.8 avg in '74 (still the highest single season average since the AFL/NFL merger). . . Finished third in kick off return average in '70 (30.1). . . . Broke Ken Houston's record for career return tds with his 13th in 1977. Held the record for 20 years until Deion Sanders broke it in '97. Still ranks 5th all-time. . . . ProFootballReference picked him as their First Team CB on the 1970's All Decade Team. . . . Got into some drug trouble after he retired and it seemed like the NFL unofficially black balled him. You never hear him mentioned among the All-time greats.
During the 8 years that Parrish and Riley started for the Bengals ('70-'77) they only had a losing record one time. They made the playoffs three times (when only 8 teams went) and missed the playoffs in '76 despite going 10-4. The overall defense waas top 10 in 5 of those 8 years and in the five years from '72-'76 the Bengals ranked top 4 in pass defense 4 times.
I honestly think that the main reason Riley did not get more attention was that Parrish was more flashy and made more big plays. I remember watching them play as I was growing up, but I have no idea which one was better in coverage. I mainly remember announcers always talking about how good they were as a tandem.
KEN RILEY.....15 yrs ('69-'83). All with Bengals. First Team All Pro '83. . . Finished top 10 in interceptions 4 times. Career high 9 in '76 (2nd in league). Career total 65 ranks 5th all-time. String of 15 consecutive seasons with an interception is also 5th all-time.5 interception return tds (28th all time). . . Finished top 10 (AFL) in kick off return average in '69. . . . ProFootballReference 2nd team '70's All Decade team. . . Incredibly durable athlete. Played in every game in 10 of his first 13 seasons missing a total of only 6 games in that span. His career high in interceptions and his only All Pro selection came in '83 at age 36.
LEMAR PARRISH.....13 yrs ('70-'82) First 8 with Bengals. 8 time Pro Bowl (6 with Bengals). 1 time All Pro ('79 Redskins). . . . Top 10 in interception 3 times. Career high 9 in '79 (2nd in league). Career total 47 (47th rank). 4 interception return tds. . . . Finished in top 10 punt return average twice including league leading 18.8 avg in '74 (still the highest single season average since the AFL/NFL merger). . . Finished third in kick off return average in '70 (30.1). . . . Broke Ken Houston's record for career return tds with his 13th in 1977. Held the record for 20 years until Deion Sanders broke it in '97. Still ranks 5th all-time. . . . ProFootballReference picked him as their First Team CB on the 1970's All Decade Team. . . . Got into some drug trouble after he retired and it seemed like the NFL unofficially black balled him. You never hear him mentioned among the All-time greats.
During the 8 years that Parrish and Riley started for the Bengals ('70-'77) they only had a losing record one time. They made the playoffs three times (when only 8 teams went) and missed the playoffs in '76 despite going 10-4. The overall defense waas top 10 in 5 of those 8 years and in the five years from '72-'76 the Bengals ranked top 4 in pass defense 4 times.
I honestly think that the main reason Riley did not get more attention was that Parrish was more flashy and made more big plays. I remember watching them play as I was growing up, but I have no idea which one was better in coverage. I mainly remember announcers always talking about how good they were as a tandem.
