The Cincinnati Bengals will kick off the NFL preseason when they face the Dallas Cowboys in the 2010 Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. The game will take place on August 8, as the defending AFC North champions take on the top team from the NFC East last season.
While the Cowboys will be acknowledging their former three-time Super Bowl winning running back in Emmitt Smith, the Bengals will see one of their former coaches in Dick LeBeau enter Canton as arguably one of the greatest defensive coaches in NFL history—even though his induction is based off his playing career. He is currently tied for eighth all-time with Dave Brown with 62 career interceptions.
LeBeau spent 18 seasons as a member of the Bengals coaching staff. From 1980-91, he spent four years as a defensive backfield coach before taking on the role of defensive coordinator. From there, he established his zone blitz scheme to help Cincinnati contain one of the most superb defenses in the NFL during the 80’s.
After a five-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, LeBeau returned as defensive coordinator for the Bengals before taking over as the head coach in 2000 for three seasons—becoming the oldest rookie head coach in NFL history at the age of 63. During his 18 years with the organization, he’s been a part of the franchise’s only two Super Bowl
appearances in ’82 and ’89.
It may have been 25 years since he took the field as a player, but LeBeau’s induction set to take place in August seems like an honor well worth the wait. He may be inducted as a member of the Detroit Lions, but LeBeau will always have a place in the hearts of Cincinnati fans for the 18 seasons he spent with the Bengals.
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