| 1988 Cincinnati Bengals season | |
|---|---|
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| Head coach | Sam Wyche |
| Home field | Riverfront Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1st AFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Seahawks) 21–13 Won AFC Championship (vs. Bills) 21–10 Lost Super Bowl XXIII (vs. 49ers) 16–20 |
The 1988 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 21st year in professional football and its 19th with the National Football League (NFL).
After coming off a disappointing 1987 season, the Bengals tied for the best record in the NFL in 1988, secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and won the AFC Championship by defeating the Buffalo Bills 21–10. But lost Super Bowl XXIII to the San Francisco 49ers 20–16.
The Bengals went 8–0 at home in 1988 and 4–4 on the road. The 1988 Bengals were featured in the NFL Films series The Missing Rings, being included as one of the five best teams in NFL history not to have won the Super Bowl. The Bengals would not play in the Super Bowl or AFC Championship again until the 2021 season.