T
he Cincinnati Bengals are in line for a big season. Coming off of a disappointing 9-8 campaign in 2024 that saw them narrowly miss the postseason, the Bengals are hungrier than ever to return to the form they had during their Super Bowl run in 2021. But in order to experience a resurgence in 2025, it will require everything they’ve got– which means everyone staying healthy.
For star wide receiver, Tee Higgins, staying healthy this season is the primary goal. Despite earning a massive four-year, $115 million dollar extension this offseason, Higgins has dealt with injury issues for the past couple of seasons. But he is hoping that all that changes this season and has his sights set on playing a big role in the Bengals’ offense.
Higgins’ Declaration
Injuries are a part of the game, but if what Higgins said on June 3 is any indication, he will do everything he can to control his body and be available for all 17 games for the first time in his career.
“I plan on staying healthy,” Higgins said to ESPN.”Let’s not say ‘if.’ Let’s not do that. It’s too early to be doing that. I plan on it. When I do, [the offense] definitely could be deadly.”
Since being drafted by the Bengals in 2020, Higgins has shown flashes of greatness– recording over 900 receiving yards as a rookie before posting two consecutive 1,000 yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. But since 2023, soft tissue injuries have kept Higgins from reaching his full potential, missing the first two games of last season with a hamstring injury followed by three games midseason due to a quad injury. In the 2023 season, he missed four games because of another hamstring injury.
Higgins’ Impact
Despite his injury history, there is no denying how impactful Higgins is to the Bengals. In only 12 games last season, Higgins caught 73 passes for 911 yards and a career high of 10 touchdowns– and was easily the No. 2 option behind Ja’Marr Chase. When he is on the field, the Bengals offense is much better. Higgins has and his trainer, David Alexander, have undergone studies to discover the source of his injuries– indicating that there will be changes made to Higgins’ pre-practice routine during each and every week.
“I looked at it with my trainer and we’ve been doing things that prevent those injuries happening,” Higgins said.
The Bengals invested heavily in their receiving core this offseason, also giving Chase a massive contract extension that makes him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history. And with Chase being named a Pro Bowler in every season since he joined the league in 2021 and having an Offensive Player of the Year to his name, Higgins hopes to join him in that regard and help the Bengals form one of the NFL’s best passing attacks.
For two straight seasons the Bengals have missed the playoffs. And for two straight seasons, they have had one of the league’s best offenses– at least on paper. But now that Higgins is locked in for the foreseeable future and is hoping his injury woes are behind him, he only has one thing left on his mind: help the Bengals win games.
“I want to go do what they paid me to do,” Higgins added.
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