# 2021 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2021 [Cincinnati Bengals](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati-bengals) season was the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) franchise's 54th season, in which the team finished 10-7, won its first [AFC North](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-north) title since 2015, and reached Super Bowl LVI, where it lost 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2021.htm) • [2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) • [3](https://apnews.com/article/2213bd6a2defb70de39a2179f7ce2134) It was the third season under head coach Zac Taylor.[4](https://pro-football-history.com/season/2422/2021-cincinnati-bengals-schedule)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Record | 10-7, first place in the AFC North; scored 460 points, allowed 376[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2021.htm) • [5](https://www.nfl.com/standings/league/2021/reg) |
| Quarterback | Joe Burrow set team records with 4,611 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, and a 108.3 passer rating; named NFL Comeback Player of the Year[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) |
| Breakout rookie | WR Ja'Marr Chase, the No. 5 overall pick, had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns and won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year[6](https://www.bengals.com/news/2021-bengals-super-bowl-season-in-review) |
| Signature game | Burrow passed for a Bengals-record 525 yards against Baltimore on Dec. 26, the fourth-highest single-game total in NFL history[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) |
| Postseason | 3-1: wild card win over Las Vegas, divisional win at Tennessee, AFC Championship win at Kansas City in overtime, Super Bowl LVI loss to the Rams[7](https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf) • [8](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/mpvhbwuxigwjnzllhlx9.pdf) |
| Franchise milestones | First playoff win in 31 years (26-19 over the Raiders) and first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years[8](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/mpvhbwuxigwjnzllhlx9.pdf) • [7](https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf) |
| Kicking | Rookie Evan McPherson made five walk-off field goals, including kicks to clinch the division, win the divisional playoff, and win the AFC Championship[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) |
## Roster building and context
The season followed a 4-11-1 finish in 2020, quarterback [Joe Burrow](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-burrow)'s rookie year, which ended early with a season-ending knee injury.[3](https://apnews.com/article/2213bd6a2defb70de39a2179f7ce2134) In the 2021 draft [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati) selected Chase with the fifth overall pick, reuniting Burrow with his LSU teammate from the Tigers' 2019 national championship team.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) The team also signed defensive end [Trey Hendrickson](https://www.edgepedia.org/trey-hendrickson) as an unrestricted free agent in March.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021)
## Regular season
Cincinnati opened with an overtime win at home against Minnesota, with rookie kicker [Evan McPherson](https://www.edgepedia.org/evan-mcpherson) making the game-winning kick, and reached 3-1 after beating [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) and coming back against Jacksonville on [Thursday Night Football](https://www.edgepedia.org/thursday-night-football).[6](https://www.bengals.com/news/2021-bengals-super-bowl-season-in-review) A Week 8 loss at Cleveland left the team 4-4 heading into November.[9](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2022)
**The second-half surge.** The team was in the playoff picture at its Week 10 bye and finished 4-2 in the division, with four lopsided wins over Pittsburgh and Baltimore.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) The decisive result was a 41-21 win over Baltimore on Dec. 26 in which Burrow passed for 525 yards, a Bengals record and the fourth-highest single-game total in NFL history; his 941 passing yards against Baltimore for the season were the most by any quarterback against a single opponent in a year, surpassing [Joe Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-montana)'s 874 against the Falcons.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) • [10](https://as.com/us/us/2021/12/29/nfl/1640817875_101439.html) The next week Cincinnati beat Kansas City and [Patrick Mahomes](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-mahomes) in a win-and-in game at Paul Brown Stadium, erasing three 14-point deficits while holding the Chiefs to three second-half points; Chase set a Bengals and NFL rookie record with 266 receiving yards and three touchdowns.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021)
**Offensive and defensive leaders.** Burrow's 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 108.3 rating were all franchise records, and the offense averaged 27 points per game.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) • [11](https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2024/01/18/atlanta-falcons-head-coaching-search-guide-belichick-harbaugh) Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd formed one of the league's most productive receiver trios, and running back [Joe Mixon](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-mixon) set career highs with 1,205 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) On defense, Hendrickson's 14 sacks were the second-most in team history, [Sam Hubbard](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-hubbard) added 7.5, and tackles Larry Ogunjobi and B.J. Hill combined for 12.5; linebacker Logan Wilson's four interceptions tied for the NFL lead among linebackers.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021)
## Postseason
**Wild card.** The Bengals opened the playoffs with a 26-19 win over the [Las Vegas Raiders](https://www.edgepedia.org/las-vegas-raiders), the franchise's first playoff victory in 31 years.[8](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/mpvhbwuxigwjnzllhlx9.pdf)
**Divisional round.** At Tennessee, McPherson made a 52-yard field goal in below-freezing temperatures to send Cincinnati to the AFC Championship. The Bengals held running back [Derrick Henry](https://www.edgepedia.org/derrick-henry) to 3.1 yards per carry and tackled him for losses on a two-point conversion and a fourth-and-one at the Cincinnati 35-yard line with the game tied in the fourth quarter.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) • [8](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/mpvhbwuxigwjnzllhlx9.pdf)
**AFC Championship.** At Kansas City on Jan. 30, Burrow led a second-half comeback and McPherson kicked a 31-yard field goal with 9:22 left in overtime for a 27-24 win, sending the Bengals to the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years.[7](https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf)
**Super Bowl LVI.** Cincinnati lost 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, California. Tee Higgins caught two touchdowns, including a 75-yard strike from Burrow, and the defense intercepted Matthew Stafford twice, but the Rams prevailed.[3](https://apnews.com/article/2213bd6a2defb70de39a2179f7ce2134) • [2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021)
## Records and recognition
Much of the Bengals' single-season record book was rewritten during the 2021 regular season.[8](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/mpvhbwuxigwjnzllhlx9.pdf) Burrow was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year and Chase AP Offensive Rookie of the Year after one of the most productive rookie seasons by a receiver in league history.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) • [6](https://www.bengals.com/news/2021-bengals-super-bowl-season-in-review) McPherson, a fifth-round pick out of Florida, made five walk-off field goals as a rookie, in his first NFL game, his first primetime game, the division-clinching kick against Kansas City, the 52-yarder at Tennessee, and the overtime winner in the AFC Championship.[2](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021) Local television ratings rose 8% during the regular season compared with 2020 in the Cleveland and Cincinnati markets.[12](https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2022/02/02/bengals-tv-ratings-jump-during-2021-season)
## References
1. [2021 Cincinnati Bengals Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2021.htm)
2. [2021 Season Summary, Cincinnati Bengals, bengals.com](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2021)
3. [Bengals QB Joe Burrow becomes NFL's highest-paid player with $275 million deal, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/2213bd6a2defb70de39a2179f7ce2134)
4. [2021 Cincinnati Bengals, Pro Football History.com](https://pro-football-history.com/season/2422/2021-cincinnati-bengals-schedule)
5. [2021 NFL League Standings, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/standings/league/2021/reg)
6. [Bengals 2021 Season In Review, bengals.com](https://www.bengals.com/news/2021-bengals-super-bowl-season-in-review)
7. [2022 NFL Record & Fact Book, NFL Operations](https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf)
8. [Recapping historic 2021 season, Cincinnati Bengals media guide PDF](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/mpvhbwuxigwjnzllhlx9.pdf)
9. [2021 Season Summary, Cincinnati Bengals, bengals.com (2022 page)](https://www.bengals.com/history/years/2022)
10. [¡Por fin! Llegaron los picks de la Semana 17 de la NFL, AS.com](https://as.com/us/us/2021/12/29/nfl/1640817875_101439.html)
11. [Your guide to the Atlanta Falcons head coaching search, Axios Atlanta](https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2024/01/18/atlanta-falcons-head-coaching-search-guide-belichick-harbaugh)
12. [Cincinnati Bengals' TV ratings jump during banner season, Axios Columbus](https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2022/02/02/bengals-tv-ratings-jump-during-2021-season)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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