:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46783628/sbnation-share__24_.0.0.png)
Guess what? We're now 56 days away from regular-season, Bengals football.
| PLAYER | YEARS |
| Mike Hibler | 1968 |
| Tim Kearney | 1972-74 |
| Tom DePaso | 1978 |
| Ron Simpkins | 1980-86 |
| Toney Catchings | 1987 |
| Ricardo McDonald | 1992-97 |
| Brian Simmons | 1998-2006 |
| Anthony Schlegel | 2007 |
| Darryl Blackstock | 2008 |
| Roddrick Muckelroy | 2010-12 |
| Sean Porter | 2012-15 |
The first player to wear 56 for a significant amount of time in Cincinnati was Ron Simpkins, drafted by the Bengals out of Michigan in the 7th round (167th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft. He played 91 games (22 starts) at outside linebacker.
Ricardo McDonald, drafted out of Pitt in the 4th round (88th overall) of the 1992 NFL Draft, went on to play in 119 career games (111 starts) at linebacker and generated 448 total tackles and 14.5 sacks during his eight-year NFL career.
There's little debate as to who the most notable Bengal to wear No. 56 is after Brian Simmons wore it for nearly a decade in Cincinnati. Drafted out of North Carolina in the 1st round (17th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft, Simmons played 121 games with 115 starts, compiling 517 total tackles, 23 sacks, 11 interceptions, 43 pass defenses, 14 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries. He also scored three touchdowns, two on interception returns and one via a fumble return.
As for the current Bengals, Sean Porter has held the No. 56 since being drafted out of Texas A&M in the 4th round (118th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, injuries have limited Porter to playing in just one career regular-season game (and he suffered a season-ending injury in that game).