Meet Rachel Karras, the wife of Bengals center Ted Karras

Rachel Karras kicks off The Enquirer’s new special-edition podcast series “Beyond Sunday, presented by Mi Cozumel ” that shines a light on six wives or girlfriends of Bengals players. The podcast will post every Tuesday morning from May 19 through June 23. The wife of Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras joined Bengals beat reporter Kelsey Conway in studio to discuss how she met her husband, her career as a Pilates instructor, behind the scenes details of the Cincy Hat Foundation, moving to three new cities and raising a child in Cincinnati.

Among the conversation topics: Rachel first met Ted at a party at the University of Illinois when both were students. On Rachel’s 21st birthday, two weeks after the party, she received a text message from Ted asking her out. They’ve been together ever since.

Rachel moved with Ted to Massachusetts after he was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2016 and followed him to South Florida and now to Cincinnati. The Karras family welcomed a daughter, Penelope, in 2024 and like Cincinnati so much, they plan to make it their permanent residence when Ted is done playing in the NFL. “You’re hard pressed to find another community where you’d want to raise your family,” Rachel said on the podcast.

If there’s anyone who knows the amount of work Ted has put into creating his non-profit, the Cincy Hat Foundation, it’s Rachel. What started as a grassroots fundraiser for Village of Merici, an Indianapolis-based living community and services provider for adults with disabilities, became part of Karras’ legacy. Rachel and Ted Karras have devoted a significant number of resources to improving the quality of life for adults with disabilities.