The Cincinnati Bengals only have three Hall of Famers in franchise history, but that could have changed this year. While former quarterback Ken Anderson and former offensive tackle Willie Anderson were on the ballot, neither of them made the cut.

Willie Anderson posted a candid message about it on Saturday.

"Another year passed by, the fifth year in a row that I've been nominated as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame," he said. "We got the call that I didn't make it once again. This the fifth year, started back in 2021 I think...You get the phone call every year two weeks before the Super Bowl..."

"I tell myself every freaking year that I'm not gonna be affected...It's a hard feeling for some reason," he continued. "I feel bad for about a good day. I'm not gonna lie, I feel super bad...This year I didn't feel as bad."

Anderson isn't a Hall of Famer yet, but he's been a finalist five straight years for a reason. The Alabama native was drafted No. 10 overall by the Bengals in 1996 before earning three first-team All-Pro nods, one second-team All-Pro nod, and four Pro Bowl nods. He played for Cincinnati until 2007 and finished his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008.

Anderson started 116 consecutive games from 1999 to 2007 and was the first right tackle to be named a first-team All-Pro in three straight seasons since Dan Dierdorf, Ron Yary, and Rayfield Wright. The former Auburn Tiger earned the honor each year from 2004 to 2006.

Anderson helped former Cincinnati running back break Jim Brown's rookie single-game rushing record in 1997 before helping him break Walter Payton's single-game record in 2000. Dillon notched 246 yards on Dec. 4, 1997, breaking Brown's record (237 yards) that stood since Nov. 24, 1957. Dillon also recorded 278 yards on Oct. 22, 2000, breaking Payton's record (275 yards) that had stood since Nov. 20, 1977. Both of Dillon's records have since been broken.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 is former San Diego Chargers/New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former San Francisco 49ers/Minnesota Vikings running back Roger Craig, former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, and former New England Patriots/Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.

The only Bengals in the Hall are founder, head coach, and general manager Paul Brown (inducted 1967), offensive lineman Anthony Munoz (1998) and cornerback Ken Riley (2023).