Tag: Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) stretches for the end zone in the fourth quarter during a Week 7 NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Nfl Atlanta Falcons At Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals brass: WR Tee Higgins not on trade block

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin and coach Zac Taylor both shot down rumors that receiver Tee Higgins is on the trading block.

Speculation has been rampant about the receiver entering his fourth season, and Tobin said Tuesday at the NFL combine that the chatter is ill-advised.

“If they want a receiver, go find your own,” Tobin said. “In my opinion, Tee Higgins is a good piece for the Cincinnati Bengals. The trade stuff is a little ridiculous right now.”

Taylor also said there is no truth to the rumors and indicated he is counting on having the wideout who has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.

“That’s why whenever you see the rumors floating around there, it’s nonsense,” Taylor said. “At the end of the day, I do get to call the plays and it’s fun having (playmakers) out there. You don’t really want to give that up.”

Higgins has caught 215 passes for 3,028 yards and 19 touchdowns in 46 games (42 starts) since being a second-round pick (33rd overall) in the 2020 draft.

Part of the speculation has been fueled by the belief of outsiders that the Bengals will have a hard time signing quarterback Joe Burrow and receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins to wealthy long-term extensions.

The situation also has led to rumors that running back Joe Mixon might become a casualty.

Mixon has two seasons left on a four-year, $48 million deal. He has a salary cap hit of $12.76 million in 2023.

Tobin said he was unsure what the future holds for Mixon and the Bengals.

“Joe has been a vital part of our team,” Tobin said. “He’s been a successful part of our team. Again, I’m not gonna predict the offseason because I don’t have the answers.”

Mixon, 26, has topped 1,000 rushing yards three times in his six NFL seasons but dropped to 814 last season to go with seven rushing scores. He has rushed for 5,378 yards and 40 touchdowns and caught 231 passes for 1,763 yards and 10 scores in 80 games (71 starts).

–Field Level Media

Jan 2, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) makes the tackle on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) during the first quarterat Paycor Stadium. The play led to Hamlin collapsing on the field, and being taken to the hospital in critical condition. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals WR Tee Higgins craves chance to see Damar Hamlin

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins is hopeful of getting an opportunity to greet Damar Hamlin this weekend while the Bengals are in Buffalo to face the Bills in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs.

Hamlin tackled Higgins in the Jan. 2 game between the teams in Cincinnati and then the Buffalo safety went into cardiac arrest. He received CPR on the field, was rushed to a hospital and has since made a swift recovery.

That contest was postponed and now the two teams will share the field Sunday, just 20 days after the emergency situation.

Hamlin has been around the Bills’ facility in Orchard Park, N.Y., this week but it isn’t yet known if he will attend Sunday’s playoff game. He watched last weekend’s Bills-Miami Dolphins wild-card game from home.

“I’m pretty sure we’re just going to chop it up, laughs and giggles and just be happy to see him,” Higgins said of potentially getting to meet up with Hamlin.

While Hamlin was hospitalized in Cincinnati, Higgins was in communication with Hamlin’s family but he said he didn’t speak to Hamlin.

“Just letting his family do what he needs to do with all his loved ones and stuff like that,” Higgins said. “Hopefully I get to see him on the field Sunday and speak to him.”

Higgins does have a relationship with Hamlin. Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd holds an annual summer camp in the Pittsburgh area and Higgins attended as did Hamlin, who is also from the Pittsburgh area.

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) completes a deep pass down the sideline during a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, at the Paycor Stadium practice fields in Cincinnati. Los Angeles Rams At Cincinnati Bengals Joint Practice Aug 24 0057

Bengals WR Tee Higgins (concussion) won’t return vs. Steelers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins will miss the rest of Sunday’s contest with a concussion after taking a hit to the head during the second quarter of the matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Higgins caught a short pass midway through the quarter and was tackled by Pittsburgh’s Devin Bush and Terrell Edmunds. The hit by Bush moved Higgins toward Edmunds, whose helmet smacked into Higgins.

Higgins walked gingerly off the field and was taken to the locker room for evaluation. He was ruled out just before the start of the second half.

Higgins, a third-year pro, had two receptions for 27 yards before exiting. He caught 141 passes for 1,999 yards and 12 touchdowns in 30 games over his first two NFL seasons.

–Field Level Media

Jan 22, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah (87) celebrates after the Bengals defeated the Tennessee Titans 19-16 during the AFC Divisional playoff football game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Notebook: Bengals’ C.J. Uzomah, Jackson Carman on track for Super Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor told reporters Friday that tight end C.J. Uzomah was on track to play in Super Bowl LVI Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif.

The Bengals listed Uzomah as questionable for the contest. The team said he was a full practice participant.

Uzomah, in his seventh year with the Bengals, suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee during the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs and did not return to practice until Thursday, when he was a limited participant.

Uzomah had said throughout the week that he would not miss the biggest game of his life. The 29-year-old had 49 catches for 493 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season — all career highs — and added 13 receptions for 135 yards and a score in three playoff games.

Taylor also revealed a bit more about injured rookie Jackson Carman, a second-round pick who made six starts at right guard in the regular season. Carman was limited in Wednesday’s practice due to a back injury but was at full participation the past two days.

The coach told reporters that they had seen enough from Carman to believe he could start at right guard. But when pressed if that was the team’s plan, he replied, “We’ll see.”

Hakeem Adeniji would be in line to start if Carman does not.

–Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Los Angeles’ Cooper Kupp each earned some hardware at Thursday night’s NFL Honors awards show. Chase won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year title, while Kupp was named Offensive Player of the Year.

Chase ranked fourth in the NFL in receiving yards and third in touchdowns receptions, but his terrific season did not stop him from admiring Kupp and his receiving triple crown (leading the NFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns).

“Cooper Kupp’s game is like magic, man,” Chase said. “The way he plays, the way he gets in and out of his cuts, the way he sets defenders up, it’s just crazy. … He’s at a level that I want to make.”

Chase also joked that it will be great to finally watch star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. in person. The three-time Pro Bowler has been considered one of the league’s most talented receivers since he entered the league in 2014 and is now on his third team. Both Chase and Beckham are LSU products.

“I hope (Bengals cornerback) Eli Apple does his thing of course,” Chase added, referring to his teammate assigned to cover Beckham. “But it’s gonna be a lot of fun watching this game.”

–The Bengals’ most famous No. 85 never played in a Super Bowl, but wide receiver Tee Higgins will carry Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson’s jersey number onto the field on Sunday.

Higgins wanted there to be a 5 in his NFL jersey number after wearing the single digit in college. But before the NFL changed its rules governing jersey numbers in 2021, that limited Higgins to 15 or 85. When the Bengals drafted Higgins in 2020, No. 15 was taken.

“I hit up Chad on Twitter,” Higgins explained Friday. “I was like, ‘With all due respect, I would like to ask you if it would be cool if I wear 85.’ He was just like, ‘Yeah, man, go ahead! It would be an honor for you to wear it.’ I picked the number and the rest is history.”

But Higgins may still change his jersey to No. 5 after this year, now that the league is allowing receivers and tight ends to wear any number from 1-49 and 80-89.

–The mayors of Cincinnati and Los Angeles announced their Super Bowl bet Friday morning. In addition to a traditional component, in which the mayor of the losing city will wear the winning team’s jersey during a press conference, the winning city and team also will make a donation to a children’s hospital in the losing city.

In a TV interview, Cincinnati mayor Aftab Pureval was asked if the city’s decision to give its schoolchildren Monday off was contingent on the Bengals winning the game.

“Your question is irrelevant, because we’re going to win,” Pureval said, tongue in cheek. “We will have the school day off. We’re planning a Super Bowl parade already.”

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) runs with a catch during training camp practice at the Paul Brown Stadium practice facility in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, July 29, 2021.Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp

Bengals WR Tee Higgins (shoulder) ruled out vs. Jaguars

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury, the team announced Wednesday.

Higgins and safety Jessie Bates III (neck) have been ruled out for Thursday night’s game against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3).

Higgins, 22, totaled 10 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the first two contests before sitting out Cincinnati’s 24-10 victory at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Bates, 24, has recorded 22 tackles in three starts this season for the Bengals (2-1).

Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (groin) and guard Xavier Su’a-Filo (knee) are listed as doubtful for Thursday’s game.

–Field Level Media