CINCINNATI — After kids throughout the Tri-State made cards for Bills safety Damar Hamlin while he was in a Cincinnati hospital, students at one Middletown school made sure to also send support to some of their favorite Bengals players ahead of the playoffs.
Ja'Marr Chase, Mike Hilton, Evan McPherson, Ted Karras and Cordell Volson read cards from the students at Creekview Elementary School in the locker room Wednesday afternoon.
"This one's perfect," Volson said while reading a card from Ashton that read: "Go Bengals. Try your best. You can do it. I am confident."
Hilton said he loved the cards, noting how much receiving letters means to him and his teammates.
"Just knowing how much support we have and knowing what we mean to the city of Cincinnati," Hilton said. "Trying to be role models to kids, there's no better feeling. So, it's really appreciated."
Some cards had drawings of quarterback Joe Burrow throwing the ball to Chase. One card in specific caught his attention — not for the drawing, but for the inspiration.
"The most valuable player is the one who makes most players valuable. Opportunities don't happen, you create them," the student wrote in their card.
"I like this one actually," Chase said. "Love you, too."
Center Ted Karras read a card from Trinity, telling the team, "You can win and you are the winner."
"This is a little boost as we go into the playoffs," Karras said. "I'm gonna hang this up in my locker from Trinity and hopefully it will inspire us to victory."
Another card from fifth grader Cheyenne said she and her father are the team's biggest fans.
"We love you guys so much," the card says. "I love you guys. Don't worry, you got this. My dad knows you got this — you got this!"
McPherson said the cards show that the Bengals have the entire region behind them.
"These are awesome," said McPherson. "(It's) a reminder that the city's behind us and we have a lot of kids and adults behind us, rooting for us. It's pretty cool."
The Bengals host the Ravens in the AFC Wild Card round Sunday night. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m.
