The first expansion of the Bengals Ring of Honor ballot bridges the Riverfront and Paycor Stadium eras as five mainstays from head coach Marvin Lewis' run of five straight playoff berths during the previous decade are slated to join the remaining original nominees.

The Bengals made the announcement Wednesday with balloting for this year's two inductees set to begin Monday as polls open in the Bengals App for Season Ticket Members.

In what is the final year of classes with multiple players, at least one member from the original ballot is going in. The second member could be from the original ballot or one of the new nominees. Starting in 2027, one legend is to be inducted per year.

"We've had five very successful years with the tradition, and this expansion caps it off and takes us into year six with some freshness and added energy," says Elizabeth Blackburn, the club's director of strategy and engagement.

"The ballot nomination is meant to be a significant, meaningful recognition from the franchise to that group of players. You're already talking about the best of the best, and what the Ring of Honor is meant to be is the best of the best of the best, and we want it to maintain a level of competition and prestige to get in."

The new five have met the criteria of being retired at least three years and haven't played for the Bengals for at least five seasons:

Relentless Geno Atkins, who leads all Bengals defenders with eight Pro Bowls while amassing the most interior sacks of the NFL's 2010s.

Prolific Carlos Dunlap, an edge rusher whose 82.5 career sacks are the most by a Bengal in this century and a sack off Eddie Edwards' club record.

Acrobatic A.J. Green, the first wide receiver in NFL history to make seven Pro Bowls in his first seven seasons.

The steady, spectacular Leon Hall, a co-MVP of the 2009 AFC North champs who moved seamlessly, almost invisibly, on the corner and in the slot to rack up the third most interceptions by a Bengals cornerback with 26.

Anchor Andrew Whitworth, the Pro Bowl left tackle who captained six Bengals playoff teams during 168 games that are the most by a Cincinnati offensive lineman in this century.

"The players that we're adding are very exciting and some of the best in franchise history," Blackburn said. "Certainly, Canton-worthy, Canton-caliber players, and we hope that this addition creates more awareness for everybody on the ballot to increase voting and increase excitement for the Ring of Honor this year."

The original list of nominees has been whittled to seven since the Ring of Honor was established in 2021, and the current ballot of 12 is representative of the franchise's beginnings in 1968 through current head coach Zac Taylor's first few teams.

"This is part of why we set the voting structure up the way we did. The longer time Season Ticket Members who were there and lived through the 1980s Super Bowl teams, their votes count for more," Blackburn says. "It's still the weighted voting process, so we try to factor that in to make the Ring of Honor prestigious, highly engaging, and a meaningful tradition."

Blackburn also believes the one-person classes enhance the honor.

"Most other teams who do these inductions always do one at a time, and I think it presents really nicely," Blackburn says. "It lets them own the year, the game, the moment."

Game information for the Ring of Honor will be announced in July when the inductees are revealed.