Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, putting his availability for the upcoming game in doubt. Higgins sustained the injury during practice on September 5th and has been unable to participate in team activities since.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Ben Baby, Higgins addressed speculation that his injury was somehow related to his contract negotiations. The receiver made it clear that his health is the primary concern and that fans should not doubt the severity of his injury.
“I just don’t understand why fans think I’m faking an injury. For me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over. I just don’t understand why they think I’m faking an injury. It doesn’t make sense to me,” Higgins told Baby.
The deadline for franchise players like Higgins to sign long-term deals passed on July 15th, leaving the receiver unable to negotiate a new contract until after the regular season concludes. Despite his desires for a contract extension, Higgins will earn $21.8 million this season.
Higgins had been optimistic about his health leading up to last week’s game, stating that he felt “amazing” and was ready to contribute. However, a late-week hamstring issue kept him out of practice and ultimately forced him to miss the game against the New England Patriots.
“I prepare myself to go out here and dominate, start of Week 1,” Higgins explained. “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.”
Higgins will continue to rehab his hamstring injury in hopes of returning to the field soon. In the meantime, the Bengals will rely on other playmakers to step up in his absence. Stay tuned for further updates on Higgins’ recovery and potential return to action.
