Bengals Center Ted Karras Has a Message, and Request, for Cincinnati Fans After Second Man of the Year Nomination

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras and his Cincy Hat Project have sold nearly 100,000 hats since 2022.

But Karras said Thursday he’d like to have one of them back.

After speaking with reporters about his second nomination for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Karras said his one regret is that he never saved one of the originals.

Not knowing how they would be received, Karras initial order was a limited run.

The original hats are orange with white letters, and the American flag on the left side is outlined in black.

“That an OG,” Karras said. “I only printed 144 to start. It was just a gift (for teammates). I was so excited to be signed finally and next March I wouldn't have to go into free agency.”

Prior to putting out the signal for an original hat, Karras’ main message to the fans and the city was one of gratitude.

“The main thing I want to say is just gratitude to the Cincinnati fan base and everyone around the county that's bought a Cincy Hat and bought into the mission we're trying to deal with," Karras said. "This whole mission was completely organic and nothing I set out to do. I didn't set out to be a hat guy. That's for sure. Or a public philanthropist.

“But I'm blessed with this opportunity,” Karras continued. “It's really the energy and spirit of the city, and I hope we win it all."

Karras’ work with the Cincy Hat Project – which sends all proceeds to the Village of Merici, an organization that provides residential opportunities and numerous other services for adults with developmental disabilities – led him to be the Bengals’ 2023 nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

He’s the third player to be nominated multiple times, joining Sam Hubbard and Carlos Dunlap.

Karras said he was hoping he would get another shot, but he also knows how prestigious the award is and how many of his teammates are doing great things in the community that he wasn’t sure.

“It's not like I was clamoring for it,” he said. “But it really does help our organization a lot with just a monetary donation and visibility.”

Karras is one of 12 nominees this year who also were nominated in 2024 and/or 2023, including Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

And given Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, he might Karras’ biggest competition for the social media charity vote, which Karras won in 2023 to get an extra $35,000 for the Village of Merici.

“It's going to be us vs. The Swifties for the fan vote,” he said. “So we've got to think of something.”

The Bengals and the NFL surprised Karras with the announcement Thursday morning.

“I was actually not in the best mood,” he said. “I just came off an intense walk-through and thought I had to get interviewed by a national outlet. I went to the media room and my whole family was there, so it was a pretty emotional moment for a second there.”