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Although they have never won the Super Bowl, the Cincinnati Bengals have come very close to doing so in recent years. The team has been playing well lately and there's no reason to think they can't pull that off very soon.
This Bengals squad now has the individual components on its roster to get rid of its critics in 2024, and it appears committed to doing so.
On that note, let's take a walk down the history lane and look at the players who have made the most money in Bengals history.
The five highest-paid players in Cincinnati Bengals' history
#5 Joe Burrow, Quarterback - $76,172,403
Joe Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy and guided the LSU Tigers to a national title, was the top overall pick going into the 2020 NFL Draft. The Bengals, one of the most unstable squads in the league at the time, had just finished a 2-14 season. They also hadn't won a postseason game since 1991 when they selected him in the draft.
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Burrow joined the Bengals and since then, he has led the team to two AFC championship games, one of which they won in 2021. They have also made one trip to the Super Bowl, and won two AFC North championships.
The 27-year-old is currently regarded as one of the top signal-callers in the NFL, and Cincinnati is also now one of the best teams in the league.
Burrow is currently the co-highest paid player in the NFL, with an annual salary of $55 million. He extended his contract with the Bengals last year, and it is for a total of $275 million over five years.
#4 Andy Dalton, Quarterback - $83,526,241
Andy Dalton was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He led the team to four postseason trips in his nine seasons with them.
The Bengals cut Dalton in 2020 after selecting Joe Burrow. Dalton earned up to $83.5 million in salary throughout his tenure in Cincinnati, according to Spotrac.
#3 Carson Palmer, Quarterback - $84,627,242
Carson Palmer was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the first overall choice in 2003. He played 97 of his 181 career games for the franchise, guiding them to their first winning campaign and postseason berth in 15 years in 2005.
Palmer made an estimated $84.6 million in remuneration during his eight seasons with the Bengals.
#2 Geno Atkins, Defensive Tackle - $95,999,495
Geno Atkins will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best players to have ever played for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was perhaps the best defensive tackle in the NFL and a strong contender for Defensive Player of the Year when he was at his prime.
Atkins's salary accumulation after 11 NFL seasons — all spent with the Bengals — was an astounding $95.9 million.
#1 AJ Green, Wide Receiver - $108,060,588
AJ Green was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the fourth overall pick in 2011. He spent 10 seasons with the team before he played for the Arizona Cardinals for the last two years of his career.
Green was a Pro Bowler in every season for the first seven years he spent with the Bengals. He also recorded 1,000+ yards in six seasons during that timeframe.
Throughout his decade-long tenure in Cincinnati, Green was able to rise to the top of the team's all-time earners' list.
