Ted Karras
CINCINNATI BENGALS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Center | Illinois | 10 |
Excellence on the Field
Since signing with the Bengals as an unrestricted free agent in the 2022 offseason, center Karras has started 62 consecutive games, including three postseason contests, and has lined up for 99.5 percent of the team's offensive snaps during that time (4,069 of 4,088). From the start of the 2022 season through Week 9 of the 2025 campaign, he has anchored an offense that ranks third in the NFL in net passing yards per game (251.5) and seventh in points per game (24.9). He became a vocal leader in the Cincinnati locker room almost instantaneously after his signing and has been voted as a captain by his teammates in each of his four seasons with the Bengals. He spent five of his first six NFL seasons with New England, where he helped the Patriots win Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts This Year
In October 2024, Karras helped officially launch the Cincy Hat Foundation, further cementing his commitment to support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Cincinnati area. Over the past 12 months, the foundation has collaborated with over 150 businesses, non-profit organizations, and schools, which has helped turn a once-viral fashion trend into a long-lasting fundraising mechanism for local initiatives.
Among his many noteworthy partnerships is with the University of Cincinnati's Transition and Access Pathways (TAP) program. Beginning this year, The Cincy Hat Foundation is funding two full-ride scholarships for students in the program. The annual commitment of $150,000 currently supports two young women, Jessica and Mariah, as they pursue a transformative four-year college experience. Karras has taken a personal role in the students' journeys, regularly checking in with them on campus and collaborating closely with their advisors to ensure they have every opportunity to thrive both academically and personally. Just before the 2025 NFL season, Karras and his team picked the two up from campus and took them on a back-to-school shopping spree. Everything from sneakers to campus essentials was covered on what they jokingly called "Teddy's Tab." In honor of their inspiring paths, Karras released The Scholarship Series, featuring two special-edition hats named "The Jessica" and "The Mariah," with proceeds benefiting the TAP program. The initiative reflects Karras' deep belief in the power of independence and education.
The momentum of the foundation has helped Karras turn what once was a dream into a mission, to create academic opportunities and affordable housing infrastructure in Cincinnati for adults with IDD. While the goal remains to build a portfolio of independent living opportunities for those with IDD, the first development is scheduled to kick off in the spring of 2026 in nearby Madisonville, Ohio. Karras is helping get that project off the ground with a personal $500,000 donation to what will be known as "The Cincy Hat House." Karras has continued his involvement in several annual events with all proceeds going to the foundation, including the Cincy Hat golf outing in June, which raised over $90,000. Through the foundation's mission, he has consistently leveraged his platform as an NFL player, NFLPA Executive Member, and Bengals team captain to help inspire positive social change. He generated over $210,000 in personal brand sponsorships in 2025, the entirety of which has gone directly to the foundation.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past
Since joining the Bengals in the 2022 offseason, Karras has displayed an unwavering commitment to community service both in Cincinnati and in his hometown of Indianapolis. In November of that year, he launched TheCincyHat.com, an online philanthropic platform marketing his highly popular customized hat. The hat, which originally featured Bengals-themed colors and stripes, generated over $350,000 in revenue over its first two months on sale. All proceeds went directly to Village of Merici, an Indianapolis-based non-profit living community and service provider for adults with IDD. Karras personally matched $100,000 in donations to help kickstart the initiative. He collaborated with childhood friend Matt Renie, whose mother, Colleen Renie, founded Village of Merici, to further explore marketing and promotional strategies. What began as a symbol of team pride quickly evolved into an opportunity to unite the Cincinnati community as Karras expanded his product line to include collaborations with local entities such as the Cincinnati Fire Department, The Christ Hospital Network, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, The Aruna Project and many more. To date, over 100,000 hats have been sold, generating over $3.3 million in revenue.
Karras was the Bengals' Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee in 2023, and as that year's winner of the NFL's Charity Challenge, he raised an additional $325,000 for Village of Merici. With the help of The Cincy Hat project, Village of Merici built a new condo building called "The Brunette," which opened in January 2025 and offers an innovative approach to IDD housing in which many of the 31 adult residents are living on their own for the first time. The revenue from hat sales contributed nearly $900,000 to that new development. While much of Karras' charitable outreach still benefits the Village of Merici, including an annual grant of $60,000, he also has sought to provide opportunities for adults with IDD in the Cincinnati area. He continues to work toward building infrastructure locally and has pledged a $500,000 personal contribution to The Cincy Hat Foundation's first housing project in Madisonville, Ohio, which is set to break ground in early 2026. In addition to providing resources financially, Karras has dedicated much of his time away from the game to community service. Through hosting hat giveaways, visiting local hospitals and charities, and attending dozens of community events, his presence has helped empower organizations across the city and exemplified the NFL's commitment to philanthropy.
Positive Character & a Lifestyle of Giving Back
The Cincy Hat Foundation, which Karras helped establish in October 2024, has played a significant role in alleviating the financial burdens placed on adults with IDD in their academic, social, and vocational pursuits. But Karras' approach to giving back to the community extends far beyond the foundation's margins. His primary goal is to use the foundation's platform to lift up and unite organizations in his adopted hometown of Cincinnati. He has repeatedly demonstrated the impact an NFL player can make when committing their personal time in addition to any monetary resources. Karras has been a fixture at several of the city's tentpole events, including the Flying Pig Marathon, Reds Opening Day, and the Bengals' Jungle Jam Fan Fest. Working with The Christ Hospital network, he created custom hats and baby onesies, with all charitable proceeds directly impacting the most urgent needs for patients at Christ. Karras regularly pays visits to patients at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in all departments, including the ICU. This year, The Cincy Hat Foundation partnered with The Aruna Project, a local fair trade athleisure non-profit that unites and empowers women who are survivors of human trafficking. The foundation teamed up with The Aruna Project to create custom bags that benefit Aruna's mission. Whether it is through assisting local non-profits, schools, public service entities and more, Karras' commitment to serving his community ranges across many avenues. The Cincy Hat Foundation has created a vessel for him to provide outreach, but it is Karras' lifestyle of helping others that ultimately drives positive change.
