OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — It's no secret who Kansas Citians are cheering for during Sunday's AFC Championship. But for Jay Hummel, it's a tough decision.
"I pride myself on being decisive, but this one’s really hard," Jay said.
Jay was born a Bengal. Growing up in Cincinnati, he was a season ticket holder for nine years.
"My mom would take me down and we would go to lunch and I would meet the players," he said. "It was a cool experience to meet someone like Anthony Munoz, Boomer Esiason and all the Bengals players that were so gracious for a little eight-year-old who was a nobody."
But since he, his wife Valerie and their three kids moved to the KC area, they started cheering a different chant.
"We knew we were moving here, and we had Chiefs gear for the kids," Valerie said, showing off pictures of her sons and daughters rocking Chiefs jerseys.
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Valerie married into the Bengals fandom, but even for Jay, they started embracing more red and yellow and less "Who Dey."
She calls it blooming where you're planted.
"I didn’t go to school on Friday wearing Bengals gear," Jay said. "... Our kids go to school every Friday they have Red Friday during football season because everyone’s all in."
The Hummels say they admire what the teams do off the field, praising players for both teams as excellent role models.
"I love that they win, that’s great, but I love more that they commit to the community in the way that they have," Jay said. "My two sons looking up to Patrick Mahomes, there’s no better guy that I want my kids, my boys, growing up looking up to."
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Even when adding Bengals friends into the mix, they find Kansas City is just as accepting.
"People made a point if they saw them in Bengals gear to go up and say, 'Good game tomorrow, I hope it’s great, welcome, I hope you guys are having a great time,'" Valerie said. "And that just speaks volumes about the Kansas City community."
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Hometown loyalty still exists for Jay, but when he's asked who he'll be cheering for on Sunday...
"I always say the Chiefs because this is where we are, this is where our kids are, this is where Valerie and I are," he said. "This is our home and that’s why, frankly, why we’re Chiefs fans."
