LOS ANGELES — It’s been such a long wait for Bengals fans to see their team in the Super Bowl, that unfortunately some die-hard fans are no longer here to see it. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be there in spirit. 

What You Need To Know

  • Hundreds of remembrance T-shirts are being distributed at the Super Bowl
  • With many fans passing away before the Bengals could make the Super Bowl, a fan group wanted to make a difference
  • The idea started from a Facebook group post, but quickly caught fire
  • Now the campaign is allowing those who passed the chance to be a part of Super Bowl history

Thanks to the efforts of the people behind the #NoFanLeftBehind movement, even more will be in attendance symbolically. 

Hundreds of shirts made in the honor of lost loved ones are being handed out in the City of Angels. But the origin of the cause stems from a fanbase outside of Cincinnati. 

Chiefs fan Allison Gilbert’s husband, Jason Martin, passed away in February 2021. 

“It’s all a part of the grief process,” Gilbert said. “I think you still want your loved one to still enjoy the things they’re no longer here to enjoy.” 

As a huge Bengals fan, she didn’t want her husband to miss the AFC Championship game, so she made a fat head cutout and took him to Arrowhead. 

“After [the Chiefs] lost, I thought about it and said I wonder if there was someone in Ohio that would take the fat head to the Super Bowl,” she said.

Bengals fans Aaron and Olivia Denton gladly accepted the request. But there was one hangup; cutouts aren’t allowed into SoFi stadium for the Super Bowl. So the group came up with a different idea to make remembrance T-shirts, a cause that quickly caught fire on social media. 

“I think the final count ended up being 848 shirts. But it’s just been awesome,” Aaron Denton said.  

The shirts are now being passed out to Bengals fans at SoFi stadium in Los Angeles.

“We’re trying to get Bengals fans in LA, to wear essentially into the Super Bowl so these people who were huge Bengals fans can see their Bengals play in an actual Super Bowl,” Olivia Denton said.  

Those who submitted their loved ones will get a return on it as well.

“Get some selfies in the game posted on social media, we have a central email at nofansleftbehind@gmail.com that all of them are going back to,” Aaron said. “But we just want to get these pictures and these memories back to the families at home. It's just been, you know, like I said, it's just been awesome for everybody.” 

What started as a favor between two different fanbases, has turned into comfort for many missing their loved ones. 

“I feel really good that other people are getting to have that feeling too,” Gilbert said. "It’s nice.”