As part of Bengals.com's high school journalism program, this story is written by a member of the journalism club at Cincinnati's Aiken New Tech High School headed by Lakisha Zyyon and Susan McElroy.
It was only natural for several Bengals to go out into the community recently and help a veteran as they celebrated Veterans Day.
Many players have family members who served in the military. Seven Bengals, in collaboration with Operation Ramp It Up, built a ramp at the Elmwood Place home of Arthur Coffey, a U.S Army veteran.
Tight end Mitchell Willcox is a great example because all the men in his family have served our country. His dad was in the Coast Guard, his grandfather was a Marine, and all the other men in his family were police officers. That's what inspired him to help Coffey on his day off.
"Life isn't always about football but there is a lot of things about football that you can relate to life," Wilcox said.
Kicker Evan McPherson also has family who served and some who still do. One grandfather was an Air Force translator. His other grandfather was in the Army and his uncle is currently in the Army. McPherson says giving back is important to him because of how much the community gives back to the Bengals.
"Just to give back this small amount to him and make his life easier is pretty sweet," McPherson said.
Running back Chris Evans agrees with McPherson. He says giving back is the least he can do considering where he is now. Evans, whose uncle is in the Coast Guard, says helping Coffey is like helping family.
"Being able to do this for the veterans is huge because they made the country what it is now," Evans said.
