The Bengals' official Twitter account shared Sunday that the team was "extremely disappointed" that Ken Riley, a star defensive back for Cincinnati from 1969 to 1983 whose 65 career interceptions ranked fourth in NFL history at the time of his retirement, wasn't included in the "In Memoriam" segment during Saturday night's NFL Honors awards presentation by the league.
Riley died last June at age 72.
Offensive tackle Anthony Muñoz, the only former player to have spent his NFL career with the Bengals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has lobbied for Riley to join him in Canton. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Dick Lane, Emlen Tunnell, Paul Krause and Rod Woodson have had more NFL interceptions than Riley.
Last August, Riley and former Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson reportedly were among 12 candidates discussed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Senior Committee that selected former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson as its Senior Finalist for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.
Pearson and seven others - Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Calvin Johnson, John Lynch, Alan Faneca, Tom Flores and the late Bill Nunn - were revealed as the Hall's Class of 2021 on Saturday.
Riley is tied with Charles Woodson for fifth in interceptions.
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