Cincinnati Bengals legend Ken Riley is one step away from being the franchise’s second inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Buy Bengals TicketsWednesday, the Hall announced the three finalist senior candidates for next year’s class, with Riley the headliner alongside Chuck Howley and Joe Klecko.
All that remains for Riley is to get 80 percent of the vote in January. In recent decades, an overwhelming majority of senior nominees have gotten 80 percent of the vote.
“This is long deserved. It is unfortunate Kenny is gone because we know how much he would have appreciated this,” Bengals president Mike Brown said, according got Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “His family is surely pleased at this news. Kenny was a splendid player and still holds the Bengals record for most interceptions over a career. It would be a wonderful thing if he were selected for the Hall of Fame.”
While the committee expanding the search for inductees for a number of years helped Riley’s case, the fact the team finally established a Ring of Honor — which he joined quickly — played a massive role too, as noted below:
Class of 2023 Seniors Finalist Ken Riley's resume:
-First-Team All-Pro (1983)
-Tied with Charles Woodson for fifth all-time with 65 interceptions
–@Bengals Ring of Honor pic.twitter.com/nEeJjiNjPe— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 17, 2022
🚨NEWS🚨
Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko and Ken Riley have moved to the final step in the selection process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.
More Info: https://t.co/a4rWvVoKWH pic.twitter.com/UcikthkVul
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 17, 2022
