Mike Hilton: Bengals Are Looking for 'the Respect We Deserve' After Super Bowl Run

After the team reached the Super Bowl last season, too many people doubt it, according to Mike Hilton.

The team is trying to get the respect they deserve because people want to doubt them because of the team's long history of disappointment, according to the team's president.

The run to the Super Bowl by the Bengal may have been the biggest surprise of the season.

There were signs that Joe Burrow had the potential to be a franchise quarterback during his first season as a starter. He threw for 2,688 yards and 13 touchdown in 10 games before a gruesome knee injury ended his 2020 campaign.

Two years ago, the team had its fifth consecutive losing season, as it finished 4-11-1.

Getting Burrow back and making some key offseason additions made a huge difference for Cincinnati.

It was the first time in three years that the Bengals won the division. Their victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in the wild-card round was their first playoff victory in 22 years. They knocked off the Tennessee and Kansas City teams to get to the Super Bowl for the first time in 25 years.

Cincinnati led the entire second half of the Super Bowl against the Rams. Cooper Kupp's one-yard touchdown catch with 1:45 remaining proved to be the difference in the Rams 23-20 victory.

Despite being the reigning AFC champion and spending most of their off-season resources to rebuild their offensive line, DraftKings is giving the Bengals the 11th-best odds to win Super Bowl 57.

The history of the Bengals doesn't bode well in the future. Only three teams have won a Super Bowl after losing it. One year after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots defeated the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.