Tee Higgins questions Bengals fans over fake injury claims amid contract extension standoff
Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins sent a clear message to all the people thinking he's faking his hamstring injury. Higgins was put on the franchise tag ($22 million) in the offseason, which started (or worsened) a contract situation that doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.
Before the Week 1 duel against the New England Patriots, Higgins was ruled out due to this hamstring issue. Bengals coach Zac Taylor gave a cryptic response when discussing Higgins' availability for the Chiefs duel, which has seemingly rubbed fans the wrong way.
The veteran wideout shared his confusion about this situation, making it clear that he wants to be out there with his teammates.
"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."
Tee Higgins picked up this injury in practice Sept. 5, which prevented him from sharing the pitch with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. This week, he hasn't practiced in the last two days, as his rehab continues.
The Bengals suffered a painful loss to the Patriots on Sunday, dropping a game that looked easy for them on paper.
Tee Higgins' mom fired shots at Bengals fans
Tee Higgins wasn't the only one addressing fans' comments about the veracity of his injury. Even though contract standoffs can get ugly and players often opt to be on the sidelines as long as possible to try to leverage their teams, Higgins made it clear that this is not the case.
His mother, Camilla Stewart, clapped back at the fans who claimed that Higgins was faking his injury.
“The same Bengals fans that’s talking shit about my boy are the same ones praising him when score, make it make sense…FYI he can give 2 f**ks about what y’all say or think,” she wrote on X.
The Bengals are expected to be one of the teams with bigger chances to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs this season. They'll face them this Sunday, but without Higgins on the field, the job will be harder to carry out.
If they don't improve last week's performance, the Chiefs will have a field day at Arrowhead Stadium.