The Cincinnati Bengals have one more divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers standing in their path to the playoffs.
Alongside that matchup stands the Kansas City Chiefs backups and a New York Jets team that has seemingly given up on the season. If the Bengals take care of business and the cards fall in their favor, they will need every bit of help they can get to make any noise in the postseason.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio thinks Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins should refuse to play in the playoffs if the Bengals make it
In an article released Friday, NBC Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio argued that Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins should make a statement by sitting out a potential playoff game.
“From a business standpoint, it’s a no-brainer. Higgins should refuse to play without getting a new contract. From a P.R. standpoint, Higgins would be crushed by fans and some in the media for choosing not to play despite the low pay,” Florio wrote.
“It’s a business decision. When owners make them, fans and some in the media applaud. When players make them, fans and some in the media find fault.
If those who would find fault or one of their family members were in the situation in which Higgins might soon find himself, they wouldn’t.”
Florio argues that Higgins has a lot to lose and little to gain from a monetary standpoint if he continues to play this season. While Higgins made $21.8 Million after being franchise-tagged this season, postseason pay would only amount to $348,000 in the scenario that involves Higgins playing four games and winning them all.
Higgins is going into a contract year, so an injury in any of those hypothetical games could vastly affect his potential future pay.
Higgins has started in eight games and played in 11 this season due to lingering injuries that occurred in different practice situations. His injuries are already a concern, meaning Higgins has more to lose from another injury than the average player.
Florio suggests Higgins fakes an injury in order to get out of playing in the playoffs without enduring a P.R. disaster.
“Of course, Higgins would be risking potential punishment if he flat-out refused to play. While he’d obviously lose his playoff check(s), a fine for conduct detrimental to the team could allow the Bengals to retroactively fine Higgins the amount of a game check — even though he will have earned all of his 2024 game checks,” Florio wrote. “The better approach would be to cite an injury, any injury, to justify not playing.”
If Higgins getting injured during the playoffs would affect his potential future contract, then missing the entirety of the playoffs with an “injury” would also affect his potential future contract.
Higgins has also made it clear that there will be an effort made to keep him in Cincinnati this offseason by switching to Ja’Marr Chase’s agent after parting ways with David Mulagheta, an agent that notoriously butts heads with the Bengals front office.
A future with the Bengals, something Higgins clearly desires to some degree, might be harder to achieve if he quits on his team during a miraculous playoff run.
Fans tore into Florio for his take on Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals
Florio quickly received a good deal of vitriol from all types of NFL fans after making his assertion about Higgins and his potential future in the NFL.
Some fans argue Florio is just trying to get a reaction while others are simply shocked by the idea as a whole.
— Tim Rogers (@TheTimRogers) January 3, 2025
Top tier rage bait. Holy s**t lmao
— Bryce Spalding (@bryce_spalding) January 3, 2025
thanks florio I can always count on you to have the absolute weirdest takes
— a girl with no face ⚡️ (@Stop_Hammerzeit) January 3, 2025
Should Sam Darnold sit too? Trey Smith? All 2025 FAs. Your hatred of the Bengals is insufferable.
— Greg Dahman (@DahmanG) January 3, 2025
It’s concerning that you are being serious.
— dugs (@yuggsy) January 3, 2025
More NFL and College Football Articles from Andrew Kusleika on Gridiron Heroics:
- The Cincinnati Bengals are Once Again the NFL’s Laughing Stock and This Proves it
- Fans Saddened by Sudden Death of Nebraska Cornhuskers Legend
- Shedeur Sanders Wants Colorado Buffaloes to Give Him $10 Million
- Fans Rejoice as ESPN’s Exclusively-Streamed MNF Game is a Monumental Failure
- Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce Robberies Provoke NFL to Warn Players About Immigrant Crime Syndicate
Get More NFL and College Football Content from Andrew Kusleika
For more news and trends in the NFL and college football world, click here or follow me on Twitter @KusleikaAndrew.
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