The Bengals Fan Chili Chug Trend Explained

If you've been paying any attention to the football side of Twitter, you may have come across at least a few videos of Cincinnati Bengals fans popping open cans of Skyline brand chili and proceeding to drink it as fast as they can while people cheer wildly in the background. Out of context this may seem like a strange way to show support for a team. But, as City Beat explains, it's simply a good luck trend that took off this season when the Bengals' winning streak first started. 

Whether Bengals fans need to manifest more points to keep the streak going, or want to celebrate a game-winning kick, it's generally expected that Skyline chili will be a part of it. In short, the more cans of chili that are chugged, the higher the chances are that the Bengals will win. Player skill aside, it's safe to say the chili-chugging is working out quite well because the series of wins has led the Bengals to make it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988.

A shotgun of beer, a spray of champagne, or even a Gatorade shower is usually enough to celebrate a big win, but Bengals fans clearly have a more unique way about it. So what's so special about chili? According to Culture Trip, chili is a staple of Cincinnati, a "Midwestern delicacy" some would say, and by that logic, no other product would be celebratory enough for what fans hope will become a historic Super Bowl win.

Typically, the homemade version of any food is the best, but when it comes to Cincinnati-style chili, canned Skyline chili is just as good. In fact, Skyline chili is the original Cincinnati-style chili, Cincinnati radio station WVXU shares. It was invented in 1949 when the Lambrinides brothers, immigrants from Greece, opened up their restaurants in the city and eventually across the U.S. The Lambrinides' chili recipe remains a trade secret, but speculations about the secret ingredient range from chocolate and cinnamon to childhood nostalgia.