Cincinnati Bengals Announce International Fan of the Year

CINCINNATI – Longtime Cincinnati Bengals supporter and head of Bengals UK Paul Hirons has been named the franchise’s International Fan of the Year.

The Bengals announced the news Friday on their social media platforms with a video of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. interviewing Hirons.

"I'm incredibly honored and humbled to be named the Bengals' International Fan Of The Year - something, as a kid in mid-80s trying to tune in and listen to the Armed Forces Network under the covers every Sunday night, I could never have dreamed of,” Hirons said in a news release.

"Bengals UK celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024, so the timing of this accolade feels right,” he continued. “It's a huge acknowledgement to the diehard fan community over here who stay up all night to watch our primetime games week in, week out. This award is really dedicated to them.”

Latching on to the Bengals in the mid-1980s, it’s understandable that Hirons grew an affinity for former head coach Sam Wyche, who led the team to Super Bowl XXIII in 1988.

Hirons’ reverence for Wyche continues as he planning something special to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the former coach’s passing.

"This has been an incredible journey for me personally - from idolizing the Sam Wyche-led team of the 80s through to the creation and maintenance of Bengals UK and all that entails. It's like a second full-time job,” Hirons said.

The Bengals UK X account – @Bengals_UK – has more than 11,000 followers.

The group also can be found on Instagram (@bengals_UK), Facebook and YouTube.

“Interviewing our incredible current players, coaches and legends on our podcast CinciNatter, actually getting to visit Cincinnati and making so many great friends here in the UK and over in the Queen City, I still have to pinch myself sometimes,” Hirons said.

You can view each team’s International Fan of the Year Nominees at NFL.com.

Each nominee will be representing their team at the 2025 NFL Draft.