Latest news with #TeeHiggins
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bengals face serious Super Bowl setback amid ongoing contract standoffs
The Cincinnati Bengals' window to win a Super Bowl is now after locking up Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase to contract extensions. With the Bengals' offensive core all set, the questions are on defense and whether or not they'll have Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson is the threat that Cincinnati have on defense as he's recorded back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons. However, there's a major problem, the 31-year-old and the Bengals are at a standoff regarding a contract extension. If Cincinnati are without Hendrickson for a significant time or don't have him for the 2025 NFL season, their Super Bowl chances take a major at least that's what ESPN's Ryan Clark stated during an appearance on "Get Up" on Friday. "As bad as a fish needs water. Trust me, when you look at this team last year, Joe Burrow played at a historic clip offensively," Clark said when asked about how badly does Joe Burrow need Trey Hendrickson to be there if they want to win the Super Bowl. "Ja'Marr Chase wins the Triple Crown, and this team doesn't make it to the playoffs. And this team didn't make it to the playoffs because, in games that Joe Burrow played absolutely out of their mind, the defense played bad enough for them to lose those games. Clark added that the Bengals need to resolve the situation regarding Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart, who has yet to sign his rookie contract. As a result, right now Cincinnati don't have their two players who they are counting on to get to the quarterback. "The one bright spot [in 2024] was Trey Hendrickson—17.5 sacks, constant pressure on the quarterback, a leader on the defensive side of the ball, and also great in the run," Clark added. "Trey Hendrickson has to be a part of this defense. "Shemar Stewart has to be a part of this defense and play better on the back end, as they added Al Golden as a defensive coordinator—or the Cincinnati Bengals could be sitting home with the best offense in football, maybe the best quarterback in the world, along with the best wide receiver duo, watching the playoffs with us." MORE BENGALS NEWS: NFL insider reveals latest on Trey Hendrickson-Bengals contract standoff
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Top 100: Arizona Cardinals to face No. 77 Bengals WR Tee Higgins
Bengals WR Tee Higgins made his 'NFL Top 100' debut at No. 77. He will face the Cardinals for the first time in Week 17. Beginning this past Monday, the NFL began its third week of revealing players in the "NFL Top 100." After revealing two players on Monday that the Arizona Cardinals will face in 2025, on Tuesday, they revealed another. The No. 77 player in the top 100 was Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, whom the Cardinals will face on the road in Week 17. Coming at No. 77, it was debut in the top 100. He missed a few games, playing in 12 of 17 games for the second straight season, he had 73 receptions, one off his career-high, for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Despite being the No. 2 receiver on the Bengals behind Ja'Marr Chase, who will certainly be in the top 100, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean said he considers Higgins "a No. 1 receiver." When the Cardinals and Bengals play in Week 17, it will be the first time Higgins faces Arizona. The Cardinals last played Cincinnati in 2023 but Higgins was injured that game. We will see how he does against them. 'NFL Top 100' opponents for Cardinals in 2025 Of the 26 players in the top 100 revealed as of Wednesday, the Cardinals face the following: Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe onSpotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Tee Higgins' inspiring NFL story: A mom who survived a gunshot and addiction and a son who never gave up
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images When Tee Higgins lines up on Sundays, he doesn't just carry his team's hopes, he carries his mother's survival, his father's absence, and a childhood most people wouldn't survive. His is a story of heartbreak, bullets, addiction, redemption and triumph. Let's rewind the clock to 2005. Tee was just six years old when his life was nearly shattered forever. His mom was shot in the head in 2005 and somehow lived to see him shine Camilla "Lady" Stewart, Tee's mother, was in a dark place. She'd battled crack addiction for 16 years, and one day, her then-boyfriend shot her in the head. The bullet fractured the right side of her skull. It was bad enough that surgeons had to install a metal plate and 160 screws just to save her life. The image of that day stuck with Tee forever. His sister told him, 'Momma got shot,' and he vividly remembers the helicopters and flashing lights. But this wasn't the end of Lady Stewart's story, it was the turning point. In 2007, two years after surviving the shooting, Lady was arrested for violating probation. That might've been the final straw but it became her moment of clarity. She committed to rehab, got clean, and has been sober ever since. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pernas e tornozelos inchados? Descubra o que pode ajudar a drenar agora aartedoherbalismo Undo That's over 17 years of sobriety. Now? She's not only proud, healthy, and thriving she's also the biggest fan of her NFL star son. Tee has never forgotten that journey. 'Everything I do is for her,' he once said. 'She made it out. I had no excuse not to.' His father was mostly in jail and died just as they started reconnecting Tee didn't grow up with his dad. Eric Higgins spent most of Tee's childhood behind bars. It wasn't until early 2022, right before the Bengals went to the Super Bowl, that they began to reconnect. For Tee, it felt like a fresh start. But life didn't wait. Eric passed away later that year, a loss Tee called 'one of the lowest points of my life.' He didn't talk much about it. Instead, he did what he always does: suited up, kept grinding, and played through the pain. From Tennessee to Clemson to NFL greatness, Tee didn't just survive, he soared Tee could've easily become another statistic. Instead, he became a five-star recruit, a national champion at Clemson, and a second-round NFL Draft pick in 2020. Today, he's one of the most reliable and explosive receivers in the league. And behind the scenes? His mom is always there, the same woman who was once fighting addiction and bullets, now cheering in orange and black with tears in her eyes. Their story isn't just inspiring, it's astonishing. And it reminds us: greatness doesn't always come from perfect conditions. Sometimes, it comes from the storm. Tee Higgins and Lady Stewart are more than mother and son. They're survivors. They're proof that cycles can be broken, odds can be beaten, and pain can be transformed into purpose. She fought for her life. He fought for a future. And now, together, they're rewriting what victory looks like. Also read - 'World sucks': Teddy Bridgewater suspended for helping his players and fans are furious Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Boston Globe
7 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Report: Chiefs beat franchise tag deadline, sign guard Trey Smith to a four-year, $94 million deal
The Chiefs had until 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday to work out a deal beyond this season after giving Smith the franchise tag in March. Smith and franchised Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins each got a lucrative contract, though the agreements came roughly four months apart. Smith has been a key part of the offensive line protecting two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes since entering the league in 2021 as a sixth-round draft pick out of Tennessee. Smith has started 67 regular-season and 13 playoff games, helping Kansas City win the Super Bowl twice and getting there last season before losing to Philadelphia. Advertisement
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
As deadline approaches, Chiefs' Trey Smith remains unsigned: How does NFL's franchise tag work?
The NFL's deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, and the future for Kansas City Chiefs right guard Trey Smith remains undetermined. Smith and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins were the only players placed on franchise tags this offseason, the lowest total in 31 years. But while the Bengals and Higgins agreed on a four-year deal worth $115 million, Smith's long-term contract negotiations remain ongoing. Advertisement In April, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said he spoke with Smith's agents and hoped to reach an agreement after the NFL Draft. 'Hopefully, we get that done. There's no lack of interest or will or desire on our end,' Veach told reporters. 'My guess is once the draft's over and our focus is back on taking care of the players that are here and trying to get those guys locked up. (Smith's agency) CAA, on their end, they are one of the leading agencies in regards to the players they produce every year, so I'm sure once things settle down on both ends, we'll be in a position to continue this dialogue and hopefully make some progress there. 'There's no secret there that we'd like to get Trey locked up.' Smith, 25, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2021. He has started every one of the 67 games he's played for Kansas City and has missed only one contest in four seasons. In 2024, Smith allowed a career-low 1.5 sacks and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. Smith skipped all of the Chiefs' OTAs in March but was in attendance for June's mandatory minicamp amid contract negotiations. His presence is crucial as the Chiefs hope to squash the blocking issues along their offensive line that cost them in Super Bowl LIX. A franchise tag is a one-year contract that an NFL team can issue to keep a top player from entering free agency. The tag allows a team to retain a player on a guaranteed deal with a non-negotiated salary. Each team can issue one franchise tag per offseason, and it can only be used on players set to become unrestricted free agents. There are two types of franchise tags: exclusive tags (which prohibit negotiation with other teams) and non-exclusive tags (which allow negotiation, though if the player reaches a deal with a new club, the original team can either match it or refuse and be awarded two first-round picks as compensation). The non-exclusive tag is the more popular option. The salary for players on a non-exclusive franchise tag is pre-determined, using either the average of the top five salaries at the player's position from the previous five years applied to the current salary cap, or giving the player 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is higher. The two players tagged this offseason were down from an average of 9.2 players tagged from 2020 to 2024. The dip signaled a relatively weak free-agent class and suggested that organizations are becoming more proactive in signing top players to long-term deals. Advertisement If Smith doesn't sign a long-term deal by the deadline, he'll be locked in to play a one-year deal worth $23.402 million. NFL rules prohibit players playing on the franchise tag from negotiating toward a new deal until after the conclusion of the current season, so the Chiefs and Smith's camp would have to wait to return to the negotiation table. Smith is probably hoping to reset the guard market and top the four-year, $84 million deal that Landon Dickerson received from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. That contract features an average salary of $21 million per season. Smith — if he does indeed play on the tag — would draw more for that single season than Dickerson's average, and it would benefit the Chiefs to work out a long-term deal rather than have to franchise Smith a second season, which would translate into a $28.082 million salary for 2026. — Mike Jones, senior writer
