Leave it to Cincinnati to turn Week 1 into a culture war. A Bengals fan named Brian Frank made headlines after writing a furious letter to the Cincinnati Enquirer, blasting the team for not holding a moment of silence for murdered conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk before their home opener.
Frank said he turned the TV off as soon as he realized no tribute was coming, claiming the snub was “more transformative than the death of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. combined.” Yes, he really wrote that.
In the letter, Frank accused owner Mike Brown of caring more about “money and power” than “God,” and said he was “ashamed and appalled” by the lack of recognition.
While the Packers and several other teams did hold moments of silence, the league clarified it was up to each club after the Thursday opener. The Bengals, who actually beat Jacksonville 31-27, now find themselves dealing with backlash from one very outspoken fan.