Tuesday, September 26, 2000
Timeline: Bengals' decade of defeat
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RECORDS
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1991: 3-13
1992: 5-11
1993: 3-13
1994: 3-13
1995: 7-9
1996: 8-8
1997: 7-9
1998: 3-13
1999: 4-12
2000: 0-3
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Aug. 5, 1991: Bengals owner/founder Paul Brown dies. Ownership of the team is turned over to son Mike Brown.
Dec. 24, 1991: Sam Wyche is out as head coach after a 3-13 season and a hostile meeting with Brown. Brown claimed Wyche resigned. Wyche claimed he was fired with two years left on his contract. They later settled.
Dec. 27, 1991: Dave Shula is named the new Bengals coach. At 34, he is the NFL's youngest coach.
Oct. 19, 1992: This 20-0 loss at Pittsburgh is the Bengals' last appearance on Monday Night Football.
Nov. 29, 1992: Boomer Esiason is replaced by David Klingler as the Bengals' quarterback. Making his first start, Klinger is sacked 10 times — tying a team record — in a 21-9 loss to Pittsburgh.
Nov. 21, 1993: Bengals lose 17-12 to the New York Jets to fall to 0-10, their worst start to date.
Jan. 21, 1994: Bruce Coslet, fired as head coach of the Jets, returns to Cincinnati as offensive coordinator.
Oct. 30, 1994: With Klingler and backup Don Hollas both hurt, Jeff Blake makes his first start at quarterback. The Bengals blaze to a 14-0 lead against Dallas, the two-time defending Super Bowl champ, before falling 23-20. Though the Bengals are 0-8, Klingler has lost his job.
Oct. 21, 1996: Shula, 19-52, is fired. Coslet is named interim head coach.
Dec. 15, 1996: After going 7-2, Coslet's contract is extended four years, through the 2000 season.
Dec. 4, 1997: Corey Dillon rushes for 246 yards on 39 carries against Tennessee, breaking the NFL rookie rushing record of 237 yards set by Cleveland's Jim Brown against the L.A. Rams in 1957.
Jan. 16, 1998: After Esiason goes 4-1 as a starter, he takes a Monday Night Football broadcasting gig. He said Brown encouraged him to do so rather than trying to lure him back to the Bengals.
July 7, 1998: Neil O'Donnell is signed as the new Bengals QB. After going 2-11 and breaking his hand, he is replaced by Blake.
Oct. 12, 1998: One day after beating Pittsburgh to improve to 2-3, Coslet gives his team the day off in reward. The move is criticized when Cincinnati loses its next nine games.
Dec. 7, 1998: Punter Lee Johnson has his contract terminated and is fined a day after making comments critical of management.
Dec. 12, 1999: Coslet removes Dillon, who has 192 rushing yards, in the third quarter of a 44-30 victory over Cleveland. Because he was within range of the NFL's single-game rushing record, Dillon is angry for the missed opportunity.
Dec. 29, 1999: Brown announces Coslet will return for the 2000 season. Wide receiver Carl Pickens rips the decision, suggesting several teammates feel the same way.
Jan. 2, 2000: Dillon tells coaches he can't play in the season finale at Jacksonville because of a knee injury and becomes angered at the perceived doubt of his claim by Bengal coaches. Dillon says he wants out of Cincinnati, setting up a bitter contract stalemate this offseason.
Aug. 1, 2000: Top receiver Darnay Scott breaks a leg in training camp. With Pickens also gone, that leaves two rookies — Peter Warrick and Ron Dugans — as the top receivers this season.
Sept. 10, 2000: The Bengals are humbled 24-7 by Cleveland in their opener, the first regular-season game in new Paul Brown Stadium.
Sept. 24, 2000: Baltimore drubs Cincinnati 37-0, tying the largest margin of defeat in Bengals history. Dillon comes out of the game and refuses Coslet's order to re-enter.
Sept. 25, 2000: Coslet resigns. Brown names Dick LeBeau the new coach.
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Timeline: Bengals' decade of defeat
