Cincy Jungle Ring of Honor Candidate No. 7: Tim Krumrie

We are taking it upon ourselves to do what the Bengals' franchise has failed and refused to do during the past 46 years -- compile a true Ring of Honor for Bengals fans. Each day, we're presenting a candidate for the Ring of Honor and educating Bengals fans on the great history of the franchise for which they root, and the great players that have donned the stripes over the years. After our 10 candidates are presented, you, the fans, will vote for the first five players to be inducted into the Cincy Jungle Bengals Ring of Honor's inaugural class. Let's get started with our next candidate!

Tim Krumrie (69)

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 270

Position: NT-DT

Bengals Career: 1983-1994

Drafted: 10^th Round, 276^th Pick

Biography

If today's NFL Draft rules were around in 1983, Tim Krumrie would have been an undrafted rookie free agent, trying out for a Bengals team coming off back-to-back division titles and two years removed from nearly dethroning Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. Making the team would have been a feat in and of itself. Krumrie didn't just make the team as a 10^th round pick out of the University of Wisconsin, he became the best defensive lineman in franchise history and the franchise's all-time leader in tackles.

Never the biggest, fastest or strongest player on the field, Krumrie earned his spot in the NFL and his place among the all-time Bengals greats as a result of his incredible toughness and grit. Nowhere was Krumrie's toughness more on display than in Super Bowl XVI when he suffered one of, if not the most, gruesome injuries in Super Bowl history. Halfway through the first quarter, while making a tackle on the 49ers' Roger Craig, Krumrie's foot stuck in the ground, snapping his tibia and fibula just above his left ankle. Krumrie was carted off, leg in splint, but refused to leave the stadium. He stayed in the locker room to cheer on his teammates until doctors, concerned he would go into shock, convinced him that he had to go to the hospital. After surgery to insert a 15 inch steel rod in his leg, Krumrie returned in time to start the 1989 season and keep his consecutive games streak in tact - a streak that stretched from 1987-1994, totaling 122 games - unheard of for any nose tackle not named Timothy Alan Krumrie.

Resume For Induction

Accomplishments

• 1,008 tackles (Franchise record)
• 34.5 sacks (5^th in franchise history)
• 13 fumble recoveries (6^th in franchise history)
• 2 seasons of 100+ tackles (1986 - 113 and 1988 - 152)
• 2-Time Pro Bowler (1987 and 1988)
• 1^st Team All-Pro (1988)
• Played in 122 consecutive games (1987-1994) (4^th in franchise history)
• Lead the Bengals in tackles 5 of his 12 seasons (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992)
• Was top 4 in tackles in 9 of his 12 seasons (9 straight seasons - 1984-1992)
• Started 15+ games in 9 of his 12 seasons
• Only 2 seasons with less than 12 starts (rookie season and final season)
• University of Wisconsin Hall of Fame (Class of 1999)
• The Tim Krumrie Award is handed out to the outstanding high school senior defensive lineman in Wisconsin

Team Records

• Single season punt return average (18.78 - 1974)

Blemishes on Resume:

None.

My Opinion:

A sure fire Ring of Honor member. The best defensive lineman in franchise history and the heart and soul of the Bengals' 1988 Super Bowl defense. If not for his gruesome leg injury in Super Bowl XXIII, the Bengals would have likely defeated Joe Montana and altered football history.