Ja'Marr Chase weighs in on Tee Higgins' uncertain future as Pro Bowl WR seeks record contract
Ja'Marr Chase knows Tee Higgins very well as the wide receivers were instrumental in the Cincinnati Bengals' run to Super Bowl LVI - the franchise's first since the 1980s.
But with the multiple-time Pro Bowler seeking the largest contract at his position in NFL history - larger than that of Justin Jefferson, there have been doubts as to whether director of player personnel/de facto general manager Duke Tobin can afford to keep him around.
During media availability on Thursday, Chase was unequivocal about where he wanted Higgins to be in 2025:
"100% I feel like he deserves to be here (in Cincinnati). He wants to be here, but at the end of the day, that's not in my control. I just hope the best for him. I hope he can stay. We keep this going."
He continued:
"I think it'd be good (to keep the trio of them and Joe Burrow together). That's a piece of the offense that would be missing if he does leave... I just been with him for this long, we have built chemistry this long. So, the chemistry is there already. It's all about how they want to play it."
Meanwhile, ESPN's Dan Graziano also shared his thoughts on the dilemma:
"The Bengals didn't get the deal done with Chase, who is having a potential triple-crown season. Now he could expect to be the league's highest-paid receiver ...Signing Higgins would be both their best leverage against Chase in negotiations and their best insurance against losing him."
Ja'Marr Chase recalls first-ever hole-in-one
When he is not dominating opposing cornerbacks with multiple monstrous receptions and touchdowns from far on the field, Ja'Marr Chase can be seen on the golf course sending balls far downrange.
By his admission, he is not the world's best golfer, playing only in the offseason. But once upon a time, he hit a hole-in-one while doing a round with his then-agent and Hall-of-Fame running back Marshall Faulk.
So how did he do it? As it turns out, Chase sometimes stops relaxing and starts treating golf as if it were postseason football (6:55):
"I'm mad competitive, and I don't really like getting mad at golf. That makes me angry, sometimes."
The Bengals visit the Tennessee Titans this coming Sunday. Kickoff is at 1 PM ET on Fox.