SHARONVILLE, Ohio — For 15 years, Chris Marki has been more than just a barber – he's been the official main team barber of the Cincinnati Bengals, building relationships with players that extend far beyond the chair.
Marki's journey with the Bengals began with a serendipitous encounter that would change his career trajectory forever. His first Bengal client was running back Chris Perry, discovered through an unlikely meeting at a local Dairy Queen.
"It was the end of my day, and some kids asked him, or he asked some kids where he should get a haircut, and they said, 'go up the street and, you know, see Chris,'" Marki said.
Watch us visit Marki's barbershop in the video player below:
That chance recommendation opened doors to cutting hair for some of the team's biggest stars during the Marvin Lewis coaching tenure. Marki worked with George Iloka during his rookie year, which eventually led him to wide receiver AJ Green. He also built a relationship with linebacker Vontaze Burfict from his rookie season.
One of Marki's most memorable moments came when Burfict decided to make a dramatic change to his signature look.
"The day came when he decided to cut his dreads off, and I was the one who did that and then everybody started giving me flak because, you know, like a guy, a grown man wanted to cut his hair off and it was my fault that I did it," Marki said.
Among his longest-standing client relationships is with AJ Green, who Marki considers a close friend. Green even invited Marki to watch games from a suite – though thankfully, no haircuts were required during game time.
The bond between Marki and Green extends beyond football, rooted in shared memories from their high school days selling Blow Pops.
"We were charm blow pop salesmen when we were in high school, which means you had the backpack for your books, but then you had an additional backpack that you'd take, keep in your locker and take out because everybody would all day would be like, 'Hey, I need, you know, 5 blow pops or how many?'" Marki said.
Marki's favorite flavor remains sour cherry, though he jokes about other varieties having unintended consequences.
For Marki, being a lifelong Bengals fan who has watched the team "go through so many bad times" makes his role even more meaningful. He can't imagine doing anything else.
"I cannot. I am a firm believer in doing what you love, and I actually love what I do. I enjoy coming in here helping people look better, feel better," Marki said.
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