Patrick Mahomes' trainer recruits Trey Hendrickson to Chiefs amid Bengals star's contract dispute
The contract dispute between Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals had an important episode on Tuesday. The defender did appear at Paycor Stadium as the team prepared to practice, but he was dressed in street clothes and did not take part in any workout.
The situation between the two sides is clear. Hendrickson, fresh off a 17.5-sack season and at 30 years of age, is looking to sign a new long-term contract to secure his future. Although he was the league's sack leader in 2024, the Bengals are not budging on his wish. He has one year left on his deal.
With uncertainty around his future, possible suitors in the league are paying attention to whether he'll leave the Bengals or not. And one rival team might be interested: the Kansas City Chiefs are often discussed as a team with edge needs and would love to have him.
The recruiting trail is already underway, and it started with one unexpected caller. Bobby Stroupe, known as a longtime trainer for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, took to Twitter to call Hendrickson to move to Kansas City:
While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trey Hendrickson was asked whether he would play in 2025 under his current contract, worth $15.8 million. Without elaborating his answer, he simply said "no".
Trey Hendrickson "disappointed" about the Bengals' stance on a new contract
Trey Hendrickson changed his strategy and is now publicly speaking about the franchise. He told reporters about his frustration with how the process is playing out. With Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby signing big contract extensions during the offseason, he's not budging in the pursuit of his own:
“I’m not going to apologize for the rates of the defensive ends being paid in the National Football League."
The defender also seemed upset at head coach Zac Taylor for a text message he received about fines for missing the minicamp:
“We’ve tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point in this process, it’s become personal. Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp, or how many ever days it is, that if I don’t show up, I will be fined, alludes to the fact that something won’t get done in that time frame.
However, Trey Hendrickson also said that the relationship between the sides was "repairable", once again alluding to Myles Garrett's case. Garrett asked to be traded, but instead signed a mega contract extension. If all parties can come to an agreement, this could have a happy ending as well.