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.

An alphabetical list of 25 other players considered will be revealed when the top 5 are unveiled on July 17.

Here are players who are ranked No. 14 and No. 15 on the list with links to previous players revealed at the bottom:

No. 15: RB Corey Dillon

Years with Bengals this century: 2000-2003

The Skinny: This would seem to be too low of a ranking for the franchise’s all-time leader in rushing yards and a player who has been voted into the Bengals RIng of Honor. But only his seasons this century were taken into account, and while they were good they weren’t good enough to even surpass the No. 14 ranked player on this list.

Dillon did rush for over 1,000 yards in three of the four seasons he played for the Bengals this century (2000, 2001 and 2002) before falling off to 541 yards in 13 games played in 2003, which was his final season with the team.

He holds the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 spot on the franchise single-season rushing list with 1,435 yards in 2000, 1,315 yards in 2001 and 1,311 yards in 2002.

As mentioned he holds the career franchise record for rushing yards with 8,061, but 3,459 of those yards came from 1997-99.

No. 14: RB Rudi Johnson

Years with Bengals: 2001-2007

The Skinny: Johnson rushed for over 1,000 yards three straight seasons (2004-06) after just coming up short in 2003 when he finished with 957 yards despite missing three games and starting only five.

He has the two most prolific single-season rushing totals in franchise history when he rushed for 1,458 yards in 2005 and rushed for 1,454 yards in 2004 when he earned his lone Pro Bowl nod. His 2006 season when he rushed for 1,309 yards is the sixth most in a season in franchise history,

Johnson ranks fourth in team history in total rushing yards with 5,742 and is third in rushing touchdowns with 48.

He set the single-season franchise record for rushing attempts with 361 in 2004 and single-game team record for rushing attempts with 43 against the Houston Texans on Nov. 9, 2003.

TOP 25 RELEASE SCHEDULE