Where does the “Who Dey!” chant rank among the best NFL team chants?

The “Who Dey!” chant at Bengals games is one of the best parts of being a Bengals fan and a Cincinnati sports fan. When the Ruler of the Jungle leads The Jungle in the Who Dey chant before kickoff, that gets you going as a fan. After a big touchdown, that’s when the “Who Dey!” chant is at its best.

So, where does the chant rank among NFL stadium chants? Sports Illustrated’s Karl Rasmussen ranked the 10 best in the NFL, with the “Who Dey!” chant checking in at No. 6. If you’ve ever wondered how the “Who Dey!” chant came to be, here’s how, according to Rasmussen:

The Bengals’ chant originated in 1981, stemming from a popular local car commercial and a beloved beer, Hudepohl. Beer vendors at the team’s former stomping grounds, Riverfront Stadium, used to offer the local beer by shouting “Hudy!” to fans. That eventually transitioned to “Who Dey,” and it evolved further after fans incorporated the song played in commercials by Red Frazier’s Ford of Cincinnati, which goes, “Who’s going to give you a better deal than Red Frazier … nobody!” The combination of both resulted in the Bengals chant. “Who dey? Who dey? Who dey say is gonna beat the Bengals? … Nobody!” 

The Bengals’ chant originated in 1981, stemming from a popular local car commercial and a beloved beer, Hudepohl. Beer vendors at the team’s former stomping grounds, Riverfront Stadium, used to offer the local beer by shouting “Hudy!” to fans. That eventually transitioned to “Who Dey,” and it evolved further after fans incorporated the song played in commercials by Red Frazier’s Ford of Cincinnati, which goes, “Who’s going to give you a better deal than Red Frazier … nobody!” The combination of both resulted in the Bengals chant. “Who dey? Who dey? Who dey say is gonna beat the Bengals? … Nobody!” 

Rasmussen also analyzes the comparison between the “Who Dey!” chant in Cincinnati and the “Who Dat!” chant in New Orleans that Saints fans do in the Superdome. In fact, he ranked the “Who Dat!” chant No. 5, one spot above the Bengals. Of course, there’s an ongoing debate between the two teams of which chant came first. 

One of my favorite memories as a Bengals fan was being at the Bengals-Saints game in New Orleans four years ago. There were so many Bengals fans who made the trip for the game. Before kickoff, Saints fans started doing the “Who Dat!” chant. In response, Bengals fans started doing the “Who Dey!” chant. It was dueling chants, making for an awesome pregame environment.

Hopefully there will be many “Who Dey!” chants coming in 2026 at Paycor Stadium, especially against the Saints in Week 12 on Nov. 29, and on the road as well.