Top 30 NFL players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

2. QB Ken Anderson

He played primarily in an era in which defenses were allowed to make life miserable for opposing pass catchers. Yet, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson somehow managed to be accurate and precise, even with the likes of the “Steel Curtain” defense breathing down his neck twice a year.

The team from the Queen City first took the field as an AFL expansion club in 1968. In its fourth year of existence, the franchise used a third-round pick in 1971 to select Anderson from Augustana (Illinois).

He became the club’s primary starter in his second season and held the job for more than a decade. In 16 seasons with the team, he threw for 32,838 yards, 197 scores and 160 interceptions. Anderson led the Bengals to the playoffs four times and was not only the NFL’s Most Valuable Player but the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1981 when the franchise reached its first Super Bowl.

The four-time Pro Bowler also led the NFL in passer rating four times and completion percentage on three occasions.

In August, cornerback Ken Riley became just the second primary Bengals player, along with tackle Anthony Munoz, to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. Anderson was one of the 12 Senior Semifinalists for the Class of 2024. He seems to be inching closer.