Ken Riley

Kenneth Jerome Riley (August 6, 1947 – June 7, 2020) was an American professional football cornerback who spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Born in Bartow, Florida, Riley grew up there and played for coach Forrest McKennie at Union Academy. He attended Florida A&M University, where he played quarterback under coach Jake Gaither and led the Rattlers to a 23–7 record.

Riley joined the Bengals in 1969 in the American Football League and continued with the club in the National Football League from 1970 through 1983, playing his entire professional career in Cincinnati. Over those seasons he recorded 65 interceptions, the fourth-highest total in NFL history at the time of his retirement. He was selected to three All-Pro teams.

Despite those accomplishments, Riley was never an exceptionally well-known or popular player, and he was never chosen for the AFL All-Star Game or the Pro Bowl. His teammate Lemar Parrish, an eight-time Pro Bowler, was regarded as the better cornerback.

In 2023, four decades after his career ended, Riley was posthumously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.