The Cincinnati Bengals' third-ever Ring of Honor class has been revealed, as two of the most decorated players in franchise history will be enshrined during a quest for a third-straight AFC North title. 

Boomer Esiason and Chad Johnson, recipients of a combined 10 Pro Bowl honors and three All-Pro nominations during their accomplished careers, will be the seventh and eighth inductees into the team's Ring of Honor. 

Chad Johnson and Boomer Esiason are this year’s Ring of Honor inductees!

On September 25th at halftime vs the Rams, they will be recognized with a special induction ceremony.

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 20, 2023

Esiason and Johnson will join Ken Anderson, Willie Anderson, Paul Brown, Isaac Curtis, Anthony Munoz, and Ken Riley in the Ring of Honor when they're inducted on September 25 during the Bengals' Monday night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. 

In taking over for one of the greatest quarterbacks in team history, Esiason established his own legacy as an elite signal caller for Cincinnati. The Bengals had an offense that was second-to-none in the late 1980s, and Esiason went on to earn three Pro Bowl honors during that time. 

The pinnacle came in 1988 as he led the league in passer rating (97.4) and yards per attempt (9.2) on his way to becoming the NFL MVP. He's still just one of two in franchise history to earn the honor. 

The Bengals went on to play in their second-ever Super Bowl that year, capping off what is considered the best Bengals season of the 20th century, and Esiason would spend five more years in Cincinnati. He ranks third in Bengals history with 27,149 passing yards and 187 touchdowns.

The story of the 2000s NFL can't be told without mentioning Johnson, who became one of the greatest route runners to ever grace a football field. A former second-round pick of the Bengals in 2001, Johnson asserted himself as a starter in his second year and never looked back, rattling off six consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. From 2002-07, Johnson made five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in posting 8,036 yards. Only Torry Holt had more during that stretch (8,078). 

Johnson's dominance torching cornerbacks was only matched by his unparalleled childish love of playful antics and trash talk. His persona "Ochocinco" made him notorious beyond just in Cincinnati, as it put the Bengals on the national radar. There have been very few players in franchise history who possessed such a reach.

To this day, Johnson is the Bengals' all-time leader in the big three receiving categories. His career receptions (751), yards (10,783), and touchdowns (66) stand atop an impressive list of pass catchers, and he undeniably did it his way. Now, he's a wonderful team ambassador and public figure adored by fans all throughout the league. 

Esiason's accolades alone put him near the top as one of the Bengals' greatest players ever, and his role in leading one of the best teams in franchise history only adds to his resume. Johnson is the franchise's most prolific receiver and perhaps most influential player in team history. 

They were stars of their eras, and are rightful inductees into the Bengals' Ring of Honor.

Bengals: Chad Johnson continues doing what he does best

There’s no better ambassador for the team.

Featured image via © The Enquirer/Gary Landers, Cincinnati Enquirer via Imagn Content Services, LLC