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'What I feel I'm called to do': Bengals punter uses second job as DoorDash driver to give back

Chrisman is also a 2016 La Salle High School grad
Drue Chrisman
Posted at 2:22 PM, Jun 21, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-22 18:32:58-04

CINCINNATI — One Bengals player is giving back to the Cincinnati community by working a second job.

For the last month or so, DoorDash users might have noticed a "Drue C" delivering their order. That "Drue C" is punter Drue Chrisman, who has been moonlighting as a delivery driver, biking through the streets of downtown Cincinnati and grabbing food.

The catch?

Chrisman isn't keeping the earnings for himself. The Lawrenceburg, Indiana native doesn't need it.

"At the beginning, it was me just trying to get a little extra exercise," said Chrisman, who grew up in Lawrenceburg and still lives there.

As Chrisman delivered food, he started learning more about downtown — most of it good. But he also noticed there were plenty of people who looked hungry.

"While I was riding around town, I would see people on the street and it just kind of broke my heart," Chrisman said. "You really do see more people than I like on the street, homeless or just asking for any kind of handout, so I was like, I don't think there would be any better use of this money than to deliver more food to people who need it more."

So Chrisman took every penny he earned pedaling around town and bought food from local restaurants for the people he saw hungry — delivering pizzas, waters and lots of smiles.

In a video posted Wednesday, the 25-year-old La Salle High School grad can be seen picking up boxes of pizza from Your Mom's Pizzeria, which is a family-owned pizza place in Mount Adams. He's then seen in Piatt Park and other streets handing out the slices and bottled water.

"Last week I was able to spend over $200 on some pizza to hand out," Chrisman said.

DoorDash even replied to the video commending Chrisman.

With a GoPro strapped to himself, Chrisman chronicles his various trips on social media — even the relatable moments when he struggles to bike up hills or climb multiple flights of stairs.

Chrisman said he knows he's had a blessed life, always knowing his next meal would come. Feeding those in need feeds his soul.

"Football is obviously awesome," Chrisman said. "But I think being able to use that platform and give back is really what I feel I'm called to do, in a way."

Outside of his DoorDash experiences, Chrisman is also capturing other moments of kindness around Cincinnati. In one video, he loads up a box of food from Paycor Stadium's cafeteria to give out.

In another, Chrisman himself is on the receiving end when he discovers a group of people handing out free food because of "love and kindness."

Chrisman said people have started sending him money on Venmo to help his cause. That money, he said, will go towards feeding more people.

While a side hustle as a DoorDash driver might not be considered "cool" for professional athletes, Chrisman said he doesn't really care what others think. He just knows doing it and posting about it makes him feel more relaxed.

His DoorDash duties will only go on for a few more weeks before training camp starts. Then he said he's going to make the most of it on the field and see where it takes him.

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