The Bengals Are Getting Blasted for This Unbelievably Cheap Move
The Cincinnati Bengals just reminded the football world that no matter how many touchdowns Joe Burrow throws, or how many highlight reels Ja’Marr Chase produces, ownership still can’t resist cutting corners. The latest example involves the legends who built the franchise, and the way the team is treating them for an event that should have been nothing but a celebration.
The Bengals are set to hold their Ring of Honor ceremony on October 26 to honor Dave Lapham and Lemar Parrish at a home game against the New York Jets. You’d expect a classy weekend with red carpet moments, old teammates reconnecting, or maybe even a few tears in front of a packed Paycor Stadium. Instead, the headlines are about who’s footing the bill. Spoiler: it’s not the Bengals.
The Invite That Sparked a Firestorm
Boomer Esiason, inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2023, went public with his invite by reading it aloud on his WFAN radio show. The details made jaws drop. Each legend was offered two free tickets, the chance to buy extras, and access to a discounted hotel rate at the Renaissance in Cincinnati.
The players were responsible for flights and hotel costs beyond the “preferred rate.” They had a single day to RSVP if they wanted to guarantee their seats.
Boomer joked he might hitch a ride on the Jets’ team flight instead of buying a ticket. His co-host Greg Giannotti shredded the invite, asking the obvious: “Who do they think they are, making you pay for your own hotel room?”
This wasn’t some mass message sent to hundreds of alumni. Only eight living members of the Ring of Honor received it: Boomer, Corey Dillon, Tim Krumrie, Chad Johnson, Willie Anderson, Isaac Curtis, Ken Anderson, and Anthony Muñoz. When your name is literally on the stadium, as Esiason’s is, getting a copy-paste email about discounted hotel rooms is unbelievable.
A Reputation That Keeps Coming Back
It’s not as if the Bengals are strangers to criticism over spending. Defensive star Trey Hendrickson, who led the league with 17.5 sacks in 2024, received only a one-year bump in pay. He’ll collect around $30 million this season, but without long-term security.
Meanwhile, his peers inked extensions worth up to $40 million annually. The Bengals are projected to have $55 million in cap space next year, but they wouldn’t budge. The same theme is playing out with the Ring of Honor weekend.
Current stars feel underappreciated in contract talks, and past legends are being asked to pay for their own celebrations.
Former quarterback Carson Palmer once forced his way out of town after clashing with owner Mike Brown. Wideouts Carl Pickens and Chad Johnson have similar stories. And now, instead of turning over a new leaf, the franchise is generating more bad press by charging Anthony Muñoz and company for hotel rooms.
Bad Optics in the Burrow Era
Image via Getty Images/designer491
The strange part is that the Bengals have made progress in some areas. The 2025 NFLPA report card ranked their locker rooms third-best in the league and team travel tenth. However, the report also handed out failing grades for meals and family treatment, with an F- in that last category. In other words, the hotel fiasco is consistent with the perception that the team still skimps on basics.
Considering the franchise hasn’t been back to the postseason since the 2022 AFC title game, this is the last kind of headline it needs.