Corey Dillon takes handoff from Scott Covington. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Corey Dillon, holder of the biggest contract in Bengals history, says he is glad riches didn't come to him sooner in life.

        Dillon lost millions in salary and signing bonus when he was taken in the second round (43rd overall) of the 1997 draft. He had first-round talent but dropped because of character concerns stemming from a juvenile record and because he played only one season of college football at Washington.

        “God works in a mysterious way. It was a blessing I didn't go in the first round and make the money up front,” Dillon said Tuesday, minutes after his first offseason workout with veteran teammates.

        “I wasn't mature enough to handle it financially. I think the stage I'm at right now, I know the proper ways. I'm the person I am today because of what happened back in 1997. It made me come in here, get focused and go out and work extremely hard.”

        Dillon will be paid more than $27 million over the five-year contract, which he signed Friday night, including more than $17 million in the first three years.

        He's going to “invest wisely,” he said. “It's a blessing from above, and it's really not for me; it's for my daughter and her kids.”

        Dillon and his wife, Desiree, have a daughter, Cameron, who is2.

        “It's up to me to maintain it,” he said of the windfall. “My main focus is to make sure they're well taken care of. I'm going to teach my daughter the right things to preserve it.”

        Dillon, a two-time Pro Bowler, is contractually happy for the first time in his four-year NFL career, but he said the big money won't soften him on the field. He's also looking at being a career Bengal, something that seemed improbable after the 1999 season, when he said he'd rather “flip burgers” than play again in Cincinnati.

        “That was just part of being a little immature,” he said of the statement. “If I could go back and take it back, I would.”

        The difference in his life, Dillon said, is his Christian faith. He became born again in 1998.

        “That really turned my life around,” he said. “Before then, I admit, I had some issues. Just to get to know the Lord gave me a different perspective and kind of calmed me down. That was the biggest thing I'd ever done in my life.”

Owners profited as Bengals lost Dillon reflects on 'blessing' New grass field arrives

D'Backs 5, Reds 1
Boone to miss 3 to 4 weeks
SULLIVAN: Wanna see Griffey? Go to BP
Players, Bowden dispute fairness of offers
Everything will be new to Reith
Patterson to serve 15 days
Matta hires two assistants
XU recruit wavering again
Ky. Speedway cold to new stock-car circuit
Klonne signs on at McNick
Cyclones let GM-coach Smith go
Donald closer to title bout
UC's Logan, XU's West invited to USA team tryouts
Ohio baseball polls
Ohio softball polls
Ohio tennis polls
Reading boys grab track lead
Cincinnati track results
Other Cincinnati results
Baseball schedule
Softball schedule
Tennis schedule
Track schedule
Volleyball schedule
N.Ky. baseball results
N.Ky. high school highlights
N.Ky. track results
Other N.Ky. results

• Return to Bengals front page...