Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals has been chastised for his perceived lack of urgency in returning from injury in recent weeks.
“I’m pretty sure people have been talking like that, but it’s cool,” Higgins told reporters on November 30 (via Jeremy Rauch of Fox19). “My health is way more important than what other people have their opinion on me.”
“I’m here,” Higgins added, “and all I want to do is help this team.” “I’m glad to be here, and I’m glad to be healthy.”
That latter portion of Higgins’ comment was in regard to feeling nearly 100 percent ahead of the Week 13 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. “That’s the plan, for sure,” the wide receiver said when asked if he planned to return from a hamstring injury on Monday night.
Of course, all of this boils down to the star’s impending free agency and whether or not he’ll return to Cincinnati in 2024.
Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor Backs Tee Higgins, Explains Organization’s Cautious Approach
If Higgins is making a business decision by sitting out, he has persuaded head coach Zac Taylor to join him. According to Pro Football Network beat writer Jay Morrison, the AFC champion coach justified the wideout’s careful recuperation on Friday of Week 12.
“I think he’s on a good track,” Taylor said. “I’m encouraged to where he’s progressing to.”
“It feels like [the injury] was a long time ago,” he continues. That was not the case.”
He went on to say that the Bengals “just want to be mindful” of his recuperation. “[Higgins is] pushing himself in the rehab process, but there was no reason to integrate him into practice [early] and risk a setback with him doing something away from the trainers.”
Higgins was “trending in the right direction” toward playing this week, according to Taylor.
Despite injury setbacks, Bengals WR Tee Higgins remains optimistic about his future.
Higgins has missed four games due to hamstring and rib cage problems this season. Despite this, the playmaker remains committed to completing the goals he set for himself at the start of the season.
“I’ve still got my goals written down, and I still have goals to cross off for this season,” Higgins told the media (as related by Morrison on PFN). “Some of them I may not be able to hit, but others I may.” You just never know. My goal is to go out there and achieve those goals no matter what.”
Although he would not reveal what they were, the wide receiver did state that one of his immediate goals is to assist this team win in Week 13.
“Obviously, we definitely want to win, definitely need to win [against the Jaguars],” Higgins went on to say. “I believe this will put us back on track to where we want to go.” We know we still have the players in this locker room who can win games. All we have to do is put the puzzle pieces together, compliment each other, and play ball.”
Play football while blocking out all the sounds. When things go wrong in the NFL, that’s usually the best answer.
It’s also the best line of action for Higgins. If he can put together a strong last month with Jake Browning at quarterback, it might increase his value heading into a critical offseason in 2024.
Carrying a backup quarterback is a far better “business decision” than sitting out with a fake injury.
Michael Obermuller works for Heavy.com and covers the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals. His prior bylines include FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports, and Pro Football Mania, and he is a Quinnipiac graduate. More information on Michael Obermulle
