Bengals fans flood Andy Dalton’s foundation with $14 donations after benching

Surprising news broke when the Bengals announced that they were going to start Ryan Finley over eighth-year starter Andy Dalton.

When healthy, Dalton has unquestionably been the Bengals’ starter, and even when he’s struggled there was not even a hint of thoughts of sitting him. Marvin Lewis made it seem like sitting Dalton had ever crossed his mind; but Lewis isn’t here anymore and the Bengals are 0-8.

A lot of Bengals fans still have a soft spot for Dalton, though. He was at the helm for the Bengals’ four of the five most recent playoff appearances, and even though he didn’t play in the 2015 playoffs, he started in 12 regular season games that helped manufacture one of the best seasons in Bengals history.

Fans decided to show their appreciation by making donations of $14 to the Andy and JJ Foundation, honoring his jersey #14.

The Enquirer spoke with the foundation’s managing director Amy Floyd, who said that hundred donations have started flooding in since Wednesday.

“Probably 95 to 98 percent have been $14 donations,” Floyd said.

Donations are coming in from both inside and outside of Cincinnati, including the United Kingdom and Buffalo.

”The Buffalo Mafia has shown up,” Floyd said. “They never disappoint.”

Of course, Bills fans have been incredibly generous to Dalton’s foundation over the years. It started in 2017 when Dalton and the Bengals beat the Ravens in a fourth quarter comeback to knock the Ravens out of the playoffs. As a result, the Bills broke their 17-year playoff drought, and Bills Mafia made donations of $17 to both Dalton’s and Tyler Boyd’s foundations.

“People just think ‘oh it’s 14 dollars what is that gonna do?’” said Floyd. “Well, it’s done a lot.”

Following the influx of small donations in 2017, Dalton’s and Boyd’s foundations received over $400,000.

“I think it’s just a tribute to the man he is,” Floyd said. “He puts his heart into everything he does this is just another reflection of that.”

While Dalton was clearly annoyed, not just for being benched but the timing of the announcement, Bengals’ fans know that Dalton will still do everything he can to help the team win.

Like Floyd says, that’s the man he is.