Bengals’ Tee Higgins confused by speculation he’s ‘faking’ injury

CINCINNATI — Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is confused by the narrative surrounding his injury situation.

Higgins told ESPN on Thursday the hamstring injury that has kept him out of practice this week is completely unrelated to his contract status. Higgins has not practiced since he injured a hamstring in practice Sept. 5, just a few days before the team’s season-opening loss to the New England Patriots.

But the fifth-year player made it known he wants to be on the field.

“I just don’t understand why fans think I’m faking an injury, when for me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over,” Higgins told ESPN. “I just don’t understand why they think I’m faking an injury. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Higgins did not practice for the second straight day as he continues to recover.

The deadline Higgins referred to was July 15. That’s the final day teams and players who were on the franchise tag could reach a long-term deal. If one isn’t reached by then, the sides can’t negotiate until the end of the regular season.

Higgins has sought an extension in each of the past two offseasons. He requested a trade in March but signed the franchise tag June 17, four days after the team’s mandatory minicamp ended. When the Bengals started training camp, he said he signed the tag when he did to focus on having the best season possible.

“I’m here, man,” Higgins said July 24. “No ifs, ands or buts about it. I’m here and ready to work.”

Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Higgins tweaked his hamstring Sept. 5. Earlier in the day, before the injury report came out, Higgins said he felt “amazing” and “ready to go” for the upcoming year. But the injury was more serious than he realized and forced him to sit out the opener against the Patriots, a 16-10 home defeat.

“I prepare myself to go out here and dominate, start of Week 1,” Higgins told ESPN on Thursday. “Unfortunately, four days before the game, I have a hamstring tweak that I didn’t think was as bad, so I made the comments I did after [practice].

“I didn’t think it was bad until, obviously, I got it checked on the next day. It was worse than what I thought.”

Bengals left guard Cordell Volson had strong praise for Higgins’ work ethic.

“The way that he goes about his business and goes to work, it’s really special,” Volson said. “And he’s a really special player.”

Earlier in the week, Taylor said Higgins would be evaluated day-to-day, with his status for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs still not determined. Last season, Higgins missed three games with a hamstring issue and injured the other hamstring that forced him to miss the season finale against the  Cleveland Browns.

In his first four seasons, Higgins has been one of the Bengals’ top offensive players. Between 2020 and 2022, he was one of 15 players to amass 3,000 or more receiving yards, according to ESPN Research. Last season, the former Clemson standout had 656 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 12 games.

On Thursday, Higgins told ESPN he wanted to be at full strength when he returned so he could provide a maximum impact for Cincinnati’s offense.

“I want to go out there and give my teammates a hundred percent of Tee Higgins, you know what I’m saying?” Higgins told ESPN. “I don’t want to give them 50% and half-ass it just to be a presence on the field.”