CINCINNATI (WKRC) – The Bengals have played 25 seasons in Paycor Stadium since it opened in 2000 and with that as the backdrop I am subjectively counting down the top 25 players to play for the team in that time frame.

The only criteria is the player must have played at least three seasons for the team this century and their performance with the team is the only thing considered, not performance with other teams either prior to, or after, playing for the Bengals.

Here are players who are ranked in the top 5 on the list with links to previous players revealed at the bottom and 25 other players considered:

No. 5: DT Geno Atkins

Years with Bengals: 2010-2020

The Skinny: He was probably one more good to great season to get strong consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Atkins was not only disruptive against the run, but he was a top-notch interior pass rusher. He recorded at least six quarterback sacks in seven of the 10 full seasons he played (his 2020 season was limited to six games), and he had at least nine sacks in five seasons.

He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team eight times, was a first team All-Pro selection twice, and a second team All-Pro selection once.

Atkins ranks third on the Bengals franchise record for sacks with 75.5, which is 26.5 sacks more than the next highest by a defensive tackle.

No. 4: OT Willie Anderson

Years with Bengals: 1996-2007

The Skinny: He was an extremely durable player who missed only two games in his first 11 seasons and started all 158 games he was healthy from 1997-2006, including all 112 games the Bengals played from 2000-2006.

Anderson is arguably one of the best right tackles in NFL history and has been a finalist for the last three Pro Football Hall of Fame classes.

He was selected for the AFC Pro Bowl team four times (2003-2006), was a first team All-Pro selection three times (2004-2006) and was a second team selection once (2003).

No. 3: WR Chad Johnson

Years with Bengals: 2001-2010

The Skinny: After a shaky rookie season in which he caught only 28 passes for 329 yards and one touchdown, he became one of the best wide receivers of his era and the most productive receiver in Bengals history.

Johnson had six straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons (2002-2007) and bounced back from a disappointing 2008 season to record another 1,000-yard season in 2009. He had at least 87 receptions for five straight seasons (2003-07) and had at least 90 receptions in four of those seasons.

He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team six times, was a first team All-Pro selection twice (2005 and 2006) and a second team selection once (2003).

Johnson ranks first in franchise history in receptions (751), receiving yards (10,783) and touchdown receptions (66).

No. 2: WR Ja’Marr Chase

Years with Bengals: 2021-Present

The Skinny: He has had an electrifying start to his career with four straight seasons over 1,000 yards receiving capped by him becoming the sixth receiver in the Super Bowl era to win the “Triple Crown,” when he led the NFL in receptions (a single-season franchise record 127), receiving yards (a single-season franchise record 1,708) and touchdown receptions (17) in 2024.

Chase has been named to the AFC Pro Bowl team all four seasons, was a first team All-Pro selection in 2024, and second team selection in 2021 when he was voted Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. This past season he finished third in the voting for NFL Offensive Player of the Year and eighth in the voting for Most Valuable Player.

He already ranks eighth in franchise history in receptions (395), is 10th in receiving yards (5,425), and fifth in touchdown receptions (46).

Chase ranks first in franchise history in receptions per game (6.4, which is 1.3 per game more than the next closest) and receiving yards per game (87.5, which is 13.2 per game more than the next closest).

No. 1: QB Joe Burrow

Years with Bengals: 2020-Present

The Skinny: He is one of the best quarterbacks of his generation and is coming off the best season of his career when he completed 70.3 percent of his passes and led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and touchdown passes (43), both of which set single-season franchise records.

Burrow had his 2020 season cut short by a knee injury and his 2023 season cut short by a wrist injury, but was then selected NFL Comeback Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2024.

He finished fourth in the voting for NFL MVP in both 2022 and 2024 and was selected for the AFC Pro Bowl team both seasons.

Burrow holds the top three spots in team history in single-season passing yards and in single-season touchdown passes.

He already ranks fifth in franchise history in passing yards (19,001) and in touchdown passes (140) and is first in passing yards per game (275.4).

TOP 25 RELEASE SCHEDULE

25 OTHER PLAYERS CONSIDERED (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

S Jessie BatesRB Giovani BernardG Clint BolingC Rich BrahamLB Vontaze BurfictTE Tyler EifertDE Robert GeathersTE Jermaine GreshamDE Sam HubbardS George IlokaDE Michael JohnsonOT Levi JonesCB Johnathan JosephLB Rey MaualugaCB Deltha O’NealDT Domata PekoLB Germaine PrattLB Brian SimmonsDE Justin SmithLB Takeo SpikesG Eric SteinbachDT John ThorntonLB Logan WilsonG Bobby WilliamsG Kevin Zeitler