The Cincinnati Bengals used the slogan "Who Dey?" as a puzzle to unite the entire community. While many supporters hope they do, the Bengals may not have the initial claim to it. This Sunday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New Orleans Saints means it's time to reignite the Who Dey vs. Who Dat controversy. The choice is yours: if you're a fan of the Bengals, wear green; if you're a fan of the Saints, wear red.
Originally, both teams wore green during their first three seasons. In 1968, the Pittsburgh Steelers made them wear black uniforms every other week in an effort to motivate them before their match-up. The next year, the Bengals switched to red jerseys with white pants while the Saints kept wearing green. In 1970, the NFL mandated that all games be played in either red or black jerseys (the exception being preseason games). So now, we have two teams that are known for their color schemes instead of their names.
In 1977, the Bengals changed their name to the Cincinnati Bengals after moving to Cinci from Norwood. In 1982, the Saints renamed themselves after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans. They also added a "D" to the end of their name to represent the Louisiana Division team.
These days, both teams are successful. The Bengals have won 11+ games four times while the Saints have done so five times.
What is the difference between "Who Dey" and "Who Dat?" During the Cincinnati Bengals' Super Bowl run in 1981, their fans adopted the "Who Dey" chant. If the Bengals did not take the chant from Louisiana, it appears that it is a combination of a local beer company ad and a car dealership commercial. Either way, it is clear that the chant originated with Bengal fans. "Who dat?" is the official response to the chant.
Bengals owner Mike Brown has said that he does not want the team involved in politics, but this chant seems political to many people. Although it was started by fans as a tribute to the Bengals' Super Bowl win, it is widely believed that Mike Brown does not want this song anywhere near his team. He may have had something to do with its disappearance from the LSU campus years later.
Bengal fans are known for their enthusiasm during games. It is not unusual to see them get up out of their seats with excitement. This element of Bengal fandom may have led some people to start the "Who Dey?" chant. Or perhaps they were just imitating the players' gestures during timeouts.
Whatever the case may be, "Who Dey?" is now part of the Bengals' identity and will likely remain so for years to come.
During the 1980 season, Bengals supporters became the first in the NFL to chant "Bengals, Bengals, Bengals, Bengals, Bengals, Bengals, Bengals, Bengals, ""Who do you think is going to beat dem Bengals?" The Saints yelled three years later, in 1983 "What's the deal? Who's singing Bengals? It's da bees!"
Cincinnati has been one of the most popular teams among fans for many decades. Since 1920, when the American Football League started giving out awards, no other team has received more votes than the Bengals.
In 1970, when the AFL and NFL merged, the Bengals were part of the new league. They have never left - which means they have never lost fan support. If you ask any Cincinnati sports fan what team they are, the answer will always be "the Bengals".
Cincinnati has only had two other teams in its history: the Reds from 1869-1971 and the Bearcats from 1895-1899. Both teams currently play in the National League. The Bengals joined both leagues after their inaugural season in 1968.
Although they have never won a Super Bowl, the Bengals have made the playoffs every year since they began playing football professionally in 1968. They have also appeared in five AFL Championship games over the last decade, winning three titles along the way.
Currently, the head coach is Zac Taylor.
The Cincinnati Bengals are a National Football League professional football team. They have competed in two Super Bowls since their inception as an expansion team in the American Football League in 1968, but have lost both times to the San Francisco 49ers. The Bengals are one of two teams that have never won the Super Bowl (the other being the Dallas Cowboys), and they are also the only team that has never appeared in the NFL Championship Game.
Cincinnati's home stadium is Paul Brown Stadium. The venue was built in 1966 and is named after former Ohio State University coach Paul "Bear" Bryant who died earlier that year. The first game played at the new stadium was a 0-0 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 21, 1966. The Bengals have qualified for the playoffs every season since their debut campaign except for 1978 when they went 11-5 but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 24-14.
The Bengals have had 12 players selected in the NFL Draft since its inception in 1969, with the first overall pick having been used on quarterback Ken Anderson by the team in 1989. Running back Eric Dickerson from the 1987 draft is the only player in league history to win the Doak Walker Award as the best running back in college football three years in a row, and the Maxwell Award as the best player in college football.
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