The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and their 42nd overall. They finished the season at 10–6, and sweeping the entire AFC North division, they improved on their 2008 record of 4–11–1, winning the AFC North Division and making the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Their season ended with a 24–14 loss against the New York Jets in the AFC Wild Card Playoff Round.
The head coach was Marvin Lewis, who had coached the team since 2003. He was chosen by the Associated Press as its NFL Coach of the Year following the season. Lewis was recognized for turning around the Bengals in the face of serious off-the-field adversity. First, three players were personally affected by the tsunami that hit American Samoa in late September. Shortly after this disaster, Vikki Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, unexpectedly died. Finally, wide receiver Chris Henry, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9, died in December from injuries suffered when he fell from the back of a pickup truck during a domestic dispute.
Off-season
Free agents The following players who were on the Bengals' 2008 roster were eligible for free agency in 2009 or have been released by the team. A green background indicates that the player re-signed with the Bengals.
Pos. Player Tag 2009 Team Signed T Stacy Andrews UFA Eagles February 28 RB Cedric Benson UFA Bengals March 3 LB Darryl Blackstock UFA Bengals March 2 G James Blair UFA CB Marcus Brown UFA Rams March 16 SS John Busing UFA FB Daniel Coats UFA Bengals February 12 FS Chris Crocker UFA Bengals February 27 DE Victor DeGrate UFA RB DeDe Dorsey UFA Bengals February 27 QB Ryan Fitzpatrick UFA Bills February 27 CB Jamar Fletcher UFA SS Kyries Hebert UFA WR Glenn Holt UFA Vikings March 19 WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh UFA Seahawks March 2 C Eric Ghiaciuc UFA K Shayne Graham FFA SS Dexter Jackson UFA LB Rashad Jeanty RFA Bengals LB Brandon Johnson RFA Bengals SS Ethan Kilmer UFA Dolphins January 19 G Evan Mathis UFA LB Corey Mays UFA Chiefs March 13 RB Chris Perry RFA DT John Thornton UFA DE Jimmy Verdon RFA CB Brandon Williams UFA RB Quincy Wilson UFA
Signings Pos. Player 2008 Team Signed Contract RB Cedric Benson Bengals March 3 2 years, $7M LB Darryl Blackstock Bengals March 2 undisclosed FB Daniel Coats Bengals February 12 undisclosed WR Laveranues Coles Jets March 10 4 years, $27.5M FS Chris Crocker Bengals February 27 4 years, $10M RB DeDe Dorsey Bengals February 27 undisclosed QB J. T. O'Sullivan 49ers March 5 2 years P Ryan Plackemeier Redskins February 13 Waiver claim
2009 NFL draft Round Pick Player Position College 1 6 Andre Smith Offensive tackle Alabama 2 38 Rey Maualuga Linebacker USC 3 70 Michael Johnson Defensive end Georgia Tech 3Compensatory selection 98 Chase Coffman Tight end Missouri 4 106 Jonathan Luigs Center Arkansas 5 142 Kevin Huber Punter Cincinnati 6 179 Morgan Trent Cornerback Michigan 6 209 Bernard Scott Running back Abilene Christian 7 215 Fui Vakapuna Running back BYU 7 249 Clinton McDonald Defensive end Memphis 7 252 Freddie Brown Wide receiver Utah
Staff Cincinnati Bengals 2009 staff Front office Principal owner/president/general manager – Mike Brown Executive vice president – Katie Blackburn Senior vice president of player personnel – Pete Brown Vice president of player personnel – Paul H. Brown Vice President - John Sayer Vice President - Troy Blackburn Director of player personnel – Duke Tobin Director of Football Operations - Jim Lippincott
Head coaches Head coach – Marvin Lewis Assistant head coach/offensive line – Paul Alexander
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Bob Bratkowski Quarterbacks – Ken Zampese Running backs – Jim Anderson Wide receivers – Mike Sheppard Tight ends – Jonathan Hayes Offensive Assistant - Bob Surace Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Mike Zimmer Defensive line – Jay Hayes Linebackers – Jeff FitzGerald Defensive backs – Kevin Coyle Assistant defensive backs – Louie Cioffi
Special teams coaches Special teams – Darrin Simmons Assistant special teams/assistant linebackers – Paul Guenther
Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Chip Morton Assistant strength and conditioning – Ray Oliver Coaching Assistant
David Lippincott
Rosters
Opening training camp roster Cincinnati Bengals roster Quarterbacks J. T. O'Sullivan Carson Palmer Jordan Palmer
Running backs Cedric Benson DeDe Dorsey James Johnson Jeremi Johnson FB Brian Leonard Marlon Lucky Chris Pressley FB J. D. Runnels FB Bernard Scott Fui Vakapuna FB Kenny Watson
Wide receivers Freddie Brown Andre Caldwell Antonio Chatman Laveranues Coles Quan Cosby Chris Henry Chad Ochocinco Greg Orton Maurice Purify David Richmond Jerome Simpson
Tight ends Daniel Coats Chase Coffman Darius Hill Reggie Kelly Ben Utecht Offensive linemen Anthony Collins T Kyle Cook C Andrew Crummey G Scott Kooistra G/T Nate Livings G Jonathan Luigs C Evan Mathis G Dennis Roland T Dan Santucci C Andrew Whitworth T Bobbie Williams G
Defensive linemen Jonathan Fanene DE Robert Geathers DE Chris Harrington DE Michael Johnson DE Tank Johnson DT Clinton McDonald DT Antwan Odom DE Domata Peko DT Pernell Phillips DT Frostee Rucker DE Jason Shirley DT Pat Sims DT Linebackers Darryl Blackstock OLB Abdul Hodge ILB Rashad Jeanty OLB Brandon Johnson OLB Dhani Jones ILB Rey Maualuga OLB Jim Maxwell OLB Keith Rivers OLB Dan Skuta ILB
Defensive backs Chris Crocker FS Leon Hall CB Kyries Hebert SS David Jones CB Johnathan Joseph CB Corey Lynch FS Rico Murray CB Chinedum Ndukwe SS Tom Nelson SS Geoffrey Pope CB Morgan Trent CB Marvin White FS Roy Williams SS
Special teams Shayne Graham K Kevin Huber P Brad St. Louis LS/TE Reserve lists David Pollack OLB (Did Not Report)
Unsigned draft picks Andre Smith OT
78 Active, 1 Inactive, 1 Unsigned
Week 1 roster
Cincinnati Bengals week 1 roster Quarterbacks J. T. O'Sullivan Carson Palmer Jordan Palmer
Running backs Cedric Benson DeDe Dorsey Jeremi Johnson FB Brian Leonard Bernard Scott
Wide receivers Andre Caldwell Laveranues Coles Quan Cosby PR Chris Henry Chad Ochocinco Jerome Simpson
Tight ends Daniel Coats Chase Coffman J. P. Foschi Offensive linemen Anthony Collins T Kyle Cook C Scott Kooistra G Nate Livings G Jonathan Luigs C Evan Mathis G Dennis Roland T Andrew Whitworth T Bobbie Williams G
Defensive linemen Jonathan Fanene DE Robert Geathers DE Michael Johnson DE Tank Johnson DT Antwan Odom DE Domata Peko DT Frostee Rucker DE Pat Sims DT Linebackers Abdul Hodge ILB Rashad Jeanty OLB Brandon Johnson OLB Dhani Jones ILB Rey Maualuga OLB Keith Rivers OLB
Defensive backs Chris Crocker FS Leon Hall CB Kyries Hebert SS David Jones CB Johnathan Joseph CB Chinedum Ndukwe SS Tom Nelson SS Geoffrey Pope CB Morgan Trent CB Roy Williams SS
Special teams Shayne Graham K Kevin Huber P Brad St. Louis LS/TE Reserve lists Antonio Chatman WR (IR) Reggie Kelly TE (IR) David Pollack OLB (Did Not Report) Dan Santucci C (IR) Matt Sherry TE (IR) Andre Smith OT (Exempt.) Ben Utecht TE (IR)
Practice squad Darius Hill TE James Johnson RB Corey Lynch FS Clinton McDonald DT Chris Pressley FB Maurice Purify WR Jason Shirley G Dan Skuta ILB
53 Active, 7 Inactive, 8 PS
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at New Orleans Saints L 7–17 0–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 2 at New England Patriots W 7–6 1–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 3 St. Louis Rams L 21–24 1–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 4 Indianapolis Colts W 38–7 2–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 Denver Broncos L 7–12 0–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 2 September 20 at Green Bay Packers W 31–24 1–1 Lambeau Field Recap 3 September 27 Pittsburgh Steelers W 23–20 2–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 4 October 4 at Cleveland Browns W 23–20 3–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 5 October 11 at Baltimore Ravens W 17–14 4–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 6 October 18 Houston Texans L 17–28 4–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 7 October 25 Chicago Bears W 45–10 5–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 8Bye 9 November 8 Baltimore Ravens W 17–7 6–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 10 November 15 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 18–12 7–2 Heinz Field Recap 11 November 22 at Oakland Raiders L 17–20 7–3 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap 12 November 29 Cleveland Browns W 16–7 8–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 13 December 6 Detroit Lions W 23–13 9–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 14 December 13 at Minnesota Vikings L 10–30 9–4 Mall of America Field Recap 15 December 20 at San Diego Chargers L 24–27 9–5 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 16 December 27 Kansas City Chiefs W 17–10 10–5 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 17 January 3 at New York Jets L 0–37 10–6 Giants Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division games are in bold text.
Standings
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Denver Broncos
The Bengals began their season in a Week 1 duel with the Denver Broncos. Both teams' defenses held each other in check, with Broncos kicker Matt Prater scoring the game's only points through three-quarters. Prater scored on a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 50-yard field goal in the third to give Denver a 6–0 lead heading into the game's final quarter. The Bengals' first points of the game came when RB Cedric Benson scored a game-tying touchdown on a 1-yard run with just 38 seconds remaining in the game. The Shayne Graham PAT attempt was good, giving the Bengals a 7–6 lead. On the ensuing possession Broncos WR Brandon Stokley caught a pass off a deflection by Bengals CB Leon Hall and raced into the end zone for an improbable 87-yard touchdown reception in the game's final seconds. Bengals QB Carson Palmer had one last pass attempt on the final play of the game, but his desperation pass was intercepted sealing the victory for Denver. With the loss, Cincinnati started the season at 0–1.
Week 2: at Green Bay Packers
Hoping to rebound from a tough last-second loss to the Broncos, the Bengals flew to Lambeau Field for a Week 2 interconference duel with the Green Bay Packers. Cincinnati delivered the first score in the opening score as quarterback Carson Palmer completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Laveranues Coles. The Packers would respond as quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Donald Driver, followed by running back Ryan Grant getting a 4-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, the Bengals tied the game as Palmer got a 1-yard touchdown run. Green Bay would reply with cornerback Charles Woodson returning an interception 37 yards for a touchdown. Cincinnati would end the half as Palmer completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Henry.
The Bengals would take the lead in the third quarter as Palmer completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. In the fourth quarter, Cincinnati pulled away as kicker Shayne Graham nailed a 40-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Packers delivered their only response as kicker Mason Crosby got a 45-yard field goal.
With the win, the Bengals improved to 1–1. This was the first game the franchise had ever won in Green Bay.
Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Coming off the win the previous week in Green Bay, the Bengals faced the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers back home in Cincinnati. The game was scoreless until halfway into the opening quarter, when Steelers kicker Jeff Reed kicked a 19-yard field goal to put the Steelers on the scoreboard 3–0. 6 minutes later, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to RB Willie Parker to increase Pittsburgh's lead to 10–0 at the end of the first quarter.