A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season | |
|---|---|
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| Owner | Mike Brown |
| Head coach | Marvin Lewis |
| Home field | Paul Brown Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–6 |
| Division place | 1st AFC North |
| Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Jets) 14–24 |
| Pro Bowlers | WR Chad Johnson QB Carson Palmer |
| AP All-Pros | CB Leon Hall (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
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The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and their 42nd overall. They finished the season at 10–6, and sweeping the entire AFC North division, they improved on their 2008 record of 4–11–1, winning the AFC North Division and making the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Their season ended with a 24–14 loss against the New York Jets in the AFC Wild Card Playoff Round.
The head coach was Marvin Lewis, who had coached the team since 2003. He was chosen by the Associated Press as its NFL Coach of the Year following the season. Lewis was recognized for turning around the Bengals in the face of serious off-the-field adversity. First, three players were personally affected by the tsunami that hit American Samoa in late September. Shortly after this disaster, Vikki Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, unexpectedly died. Finally, wide receiver Chris Henry, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9, died in December from injuries suffered when he fell from the back of a pickup truck during a domestic dispute.[1]
Off-season
Free agents
The following players who were on the Bengals' 2008 roster were eligible for free agency in 2009 or have been released by the team. A green background indicates that the player re-signed with the Bengals.
| Pos. | Player | Tag | 2009 Team | Signed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T | Stacy Andrews | UFA | Eagles[2] | February 28 |
| RB | Cedric Benson | UFA | Bengals[3] | March 3 |
| LB | Darryl Blackstock | UFA | Bengals[4] | March 2 |
| G | James Blair | UFA | ||
| CB | Marcus Brown | UFA | Rams[5] | March 16 |
| SS | John Busing | UFA | ||
| FB | Daniel Coats | UFA | Bengals[6] | February 12 |
| FS | Chris Crocker | UFA | Bengals[7] | February 27 |
| DE | Victor DeGrate | UFA | ||
| RB | DeDe Dorsey | UFA | Bengals[8] | February 27 |
| QB | Ryan Fitzpatrick | UFA | Bills[9] | February 27 |
| CB | Jamar Fletcher | UFA | ||
| SS | Kyries Hebert | UFA | ||
| WR | Glenn Holt | UFA | Vikings[10] | March 19 |
| WR | T. J. Houshmandzadeh | UFA | Seahawks[11] | March 2 |
| C | Eric Ghiaciuc | UFA | ||
| K | Shayne Graham | FFA | ||
| SS | Dexter Jackson | UFA | ||
| LB | Rashad Jeanty | RFA | Bengals[12] | |
| LB | Brandon Johnson | RFA | Bengals[13] | |
| SS | Ethan Kilmer | UFA | Dolphins[14] | January 19 |
| G | Evan Mathis | UFA | ||
| LB | Corey Mays | UFA | Chiefs[15] | March 13 |
| RB | Chris Perry | RFA | ||
| DT | John Thornton | UFA | ||
| DE | Jimmy Verdon | RFA | ||
| CB | Brandon Williams | UFA | ||
| RB | Quincy Wilson | UFA |
Signings
| Pos. | Player | 2008 Team | Signed | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | Cedric Benson[3] | Bengals | March 3 | 2 years, $7M |
| LB | Darryl Blackstock[4] | Bengals | March 2 | undisclosed |
| FB | Daniel Coats[6] | Bengals | February 12 | undisclosed |
| WR | Laveranues Coles[16] | Jets | March 10 | 4 years, $27.5M |
| FS | Chris Crocker[7] | Bengals | February 27 | 4 years, $10M |
| RB | DeDe Dorsey[8] | Bengals | February 27 | undisclosed |
| QB | J. T. O'Sullivan[17] | 49ers | March 5 | 2 years |
| P | Ryan Plackemeier[18] | Redskins | February 13 | Waiver claim |