CINCINNATI — Bengals center Ted Karras has been named the team's nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, recognizing his exceptional community service through The Cincy Hat Foundation.
The prestigious award honors a player who demonstrates exemplary service to their community. Karras first founded The Cincy Hat in 2022, with proceeds supporting people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"It's a huge honor, and I'm very grateful to not only the Bengals organization, but everyone in this town who's pitched in to get us here," Karras said.
What started as casual compliments about Karras' hat in the Bengals locker room has evolved into a major philanthropic effort. The foundation has generated approximately $3 million in revenue and additional donations.
"I never set out to be a hat guy. I never set out to be this big philanthropist," Karras said. "To have assumed this role of a champion for this cause is probably the most important thing in my life."
Karras's passion for supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities stems from his childhood in Indianapolis, where he volunteered at the Village of Merici, which provides housing for people with IDD.
The Cincy Hat Foundation has helped the Village of Merici double its footprint and now supports initiatives in Cincinnati. The foundation provides two full scholarships to the University of Cincinnati's IDD Center.
The foundation's biggest project launches in 2026: constructing an apartment building in Madisonville for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"We're coming to Cincinnati. We're our own foundation now, the Cincy Hat Foundation," Karras said. "There's a huge need here, and the only reason this is possible is how many people have bought Cincy hats and donated not only their money but their time."
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Karras said The Cincy Hat Foundation will continue beyond his NFL career. He volunteers his time and has never taken a paycheck from the organization.
"It will never go away," Karras said. "I feel that very deeply in my soul that we will build forever. That's part of the reason why I didn't want to call it the Ted Karras Foundation because it is such a grassroots Cincinnati organization. It's bigger than just Ted Karras."
Despite being part of Super Bowl-winning teams, Karras says winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award would be the pinnacle of his achievements.
"I think it would be mostly for them," Karras said of Cincinnati fans. "I've obviously been the voice and the face of it, but the heart and body of the Cincy Hat organization is Who Dey Nation and all the people that have come out to help and to donate and to wear the gear. I think that's why it's an award for the whole town."
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