How did you become a Bengals fan?

[CKwi88]

I was born in a dead-zone in CT where you're not close enough to Boston to root for the Pats and not close enough to New York to root for the Giants or Jets. Loved tigers and Calvin and Hobbes growing up, the Bengals stuck, despite it being the (late) 1990s.

[corpjet]

Moved to Cincy in July of 2001, Bought season tickets in 2006 and as they say the rest is history! Currently live in Indianapolis but still make the drive to Cincy for all home games and a couple of road ones a year!

Have been hooked every since, have seen the Bengals play in 16 NFL stadiums to date and looking to cross the other ones off my bucket list before I die!

Love this team/franchise!

[CoCoNuT]

I jumped on the bandwagon in 2005.
I wasn't really a big fan until I came home from college in 2006.

[Pezmerga]

Born in Cincy, didn't really follow much until 2003 vs. the Chiefs though. That game got me hooked.

[InTheJungleNow9]

Born in 86 in the Nati. I don't really have any memories of the 88 team, but I do remember when I was 3 or 4 and my older brother wanted to root for the 49ers and my parents threatened to make him sleep outside (the pain was still fresh) if he did. Their devotion was that deep so I guess you could say I was indoctrinated into fandom (under some sort of duress maybe). I couldn't be happier about it though. The Bengals are a part of me.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Back in 88' i was 6 years old watching the SB gainst those Niners which were my Mother's favorite team.

I chose the team with the cool helmets back then. Then, the 90's happened.

Thank God for what is going on now, i am a happy dude.

[TSwigZ]

I don't remember it just feels like I was born with it in my blood but When I was one years old I was obsessed with the tiger stripes according to my dad that's how I fell in love and he's a huge Miami fan born and raised in Florida. I was born near Columbus but closer to Cleveland I haven't missed a game tv wise since NFL Sunday ticket came out

[Ned Ludd]

15 years old, living in a sleepy commuter town 30 miles from London, I see an advert for a new TV show showing highlights of something called 'American Football'.

Marvel, as I did, at the typically eighties opening credits and obligatory Bonnie Tyler track then look at the map in the studio; I saw the stripes on the helmet and thought "that's my team!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78STT4uZ-Bk

[BengalHawk62]

Early on, in my formative years, the local high school had a great football team back in 1984.  In fact they won the state championship that year.  They were called the Tigers, they had black helmets with the orange Clemson paw on the side.  I fell in love with the colors.  One weekend, on Sunday, I was at my G'ma's house (god bless her), and was watching an "orange" team on TV.  But their nickname was the Browns.  I liked the colors, but I hated the name.  Didn't understand what the color orange had to do with the color Brown?  Still don't know to this day actually.  But the very next weekend, I saw football on tv again, but this time, the team on TV had the coolest helmets I've ever seen.  They were orange and black, just like the local high school, and they were striped!  It was love at first sight, and I've been a fan ever since. I still think they have the best helmet in the league.

[fredtoast]

My dad had played baseball and basketball, but he was not a big fan of just sitting around and watching sports.  I don't remember becoming much of a sports fan until 1973 when I was 10 years old.  That is when I started playing organized team sports.  Luckily this was a bit of a golden age for a kid from southern Ohio.  

My first jersey was a scarlet #45.  From '73 to '76 the Buckeyes were often ranked first in the country and finished ranked second, fourth, fourth, and sixth.

From '73 through '76 the Reds never won fewer than 98 games.  They made the playoffs 3 times and won 2 World Series.

From '73 through '76 the Bengals never had a losing season and won at least 10 games 3 times.  The '75 team that went 11-3 had the #2 offense and #7 defense in the league.

UC had a top ten basketball team in '75 and '76.

[Eraserhead]

I was born and raised in a small town south east of Cincinnati in 1990, so i was born when things seem to have took a nose dive for the worse. I have memories as a kid of my dad watching the Bengals and i could hear him get frustrated but he always watched the games anyway(sometimes even listening to them on the radio). Around the time Marvin Lewis was hired as couch i was really getting into playing football and watching it to, so obviously i would pick my hometown team.

[Paul from Dayton]

Live in suburb of Dayton my whole life, so was always a fan. Started being die-hard in 2000...

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

My grandmother moved to Cincy during WWII to work in the factories. She became a huge Reds fan while there. Once the Bengals came on the scene, she was naturally inclined to pull for them. I can remember sitting in the carport listening to Reds games as a youngster while playing with my Hot Wheels or GI Joe....and Bengals games in the fall after Sunday dinner. So, of course, I became a Reds and Bengals fan. I started playing football at age 8....by the time I was 12, the Bengals were in Super Bowl XXIII. I thought for sure my allegiance was going to pay off in a big way over the ensuing years!

At least I remember that season well, and actually attended my first Bengals game that season.....and I got to watch the Reds win it all in '90. Wow.....thank goodness my college squads have won multi championships! LOL

[Vas Deferens]

adding on to the sentiments of others... it was beaten into me. still hold doors open for the elderly too.

[Bigsmithin]

I was 6 years old when I seen this on TV and have been loyal since that day. Cincinnati born and raised and it was unacceptable to root on any other team in my house hold. I never really got the whole root for teams outside your city thing. I guess you just try to be different for whatever reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WYdRYhBWwI

[fredtoast]

Although no one else will probably care, my greatest Bengal memories were during my carefree college days. The '81 Super Bowl was during my Freshman year of college, and the '88 Super Bowl was during my last year of grad school.

Maybe I need to go back to college?

[*bengalfan74*]

Grew up in the Big Red Machine days, back when baseball was still king. My Dad and a couple of his buddies from work took me to a Bengals game vs. the Houston Oilers in 1974, we lost. But I basically adopted the Bengals and started getting into football from that point on.

[WestCoastBengalsFan]

Grew up in Dayton, OH and my grandpa/dad/brother were all Bears fans because of my grandpa's side of the family. I have always been the "black sheep" of the family so I didn't want to root for the same team as them. When I was about 6 I was really into tigers too so it just fit naturally, been a huge fan ever since.

P.S. The 88 Superbowl was same day as my 8th bday party, and all I wanted was to watch the Bengals win the Superbowl. I always say Joe Montana ruined my childhood.

[Bengal Dude]

Sep. 20th, 1998. The Bengals played the Packers that day. I was a 49ers fan at the time, and they had issues with the Packers, so our FOX affiliate would always play the Packers if the 49ers weren't on. I watched the game and the announcers wouldn't stop talking about the Packers, mainly Favre. I rooted for the Bengals to beat them (they didn't), to spite the announcers. For some reason, it stuck with me. I kept checking their scores and stats. I remember when the 99 draft rolled around, I cared more about who the Bengals picked than the 49ers. By 2000, I completely left the 49ers and jumped 100% with the Bengals.

[BengalD]

Was 8 years old in the Natti when the team started! Been here for the duration.