CINCINNATI — What we saw last Saturday was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential and impact Tee Higgins can have on a football field.
His acrobatic one-handed stretch for a game-tying touchdown when his team’s season was in the balance provided a window into the receiver’s starburst future.
Higgins will get paid. This much is certain. Of course, that is likely not to happen in Cincinnati just because of the economics of it all and the fact the Bengals – or any team – can pay all of its star players.
But when teams evaluate Higgins, they won’t just look at one or two jaw-dropping plays. They will look at his ability to carry a receiving corps on his own merits. That’s why this Saturday, with Ja’Marr Chase sidelined with a right shoulder injury, matters. The Bengals playoff hopes still hang in the balance.
Can Higgins repeat on Saturday in Pittsburgh what he did in the fourth quarter and overtime against the Vikings when Chase was out with the shoulder injury? Can he carry a unit that includes Tyler Boyd, Trenton Irwin and rookies Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones?
Will his role change without his fellow No. 1 receiver on the field with him?
“I don’t think it changes anything for me,” Higgins said Wednesday. “You know, I still got to go out there and be the receiver I am. I got guys like Andrei and Charlie (who will) step up and so I don’t think it’s gonna be any different from me.”
Higgins demonstrated he can carry a huge load last Saturday with his first two touchdowns since Week 2 and big catch after big catch. Of course, the day didn’t start that way when he dropped a sideline route on the first snap of the day. But it was the ending that everyone will remember, including of course Higgins himself.
“Yes, crazy play,” Higgins said. “I probably won’t ever get the opportunity to do that again. I’m saying so but like it was a crazy play definitely glad it happened. But other than that man, it’s just another play got to keep moving forward. But I definitely put it top five of my career catches, for sure.”
Higgins finished with four catches for 61 yards. But it was the big catches that mattered most to Jake Browning, being an elite established receiver when the quarterback needed one.
“I don’t think it changes anything for me. I still gotta go out there and be the receiver I am” Tee Higgins on his role if Ja’Marr Chase is out Saturday pic.twitter.com/mNFgyFGsKV
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 20, 2023
“It’s very important for the team to get a win, so obviously gives Jake more trust in me and so it’s very important,” Higgins said.
One characteristic of the Bengals receiving unit has been their ability to scramble and keep plays alive when a play breaks down. It’s gotten to the point where the scramble drill is actually factored into the actual play itself, or at least that’s the way it looked on Higgins game-tying TD and the throw to Tyler Boyd in overtime.
“On scramble plays, we really practice things like that. Jake was getting pressure right there on my touchdown. Even on TB’s last catch, it’s just that he’s got to get it to put us into position.”
Yeah, some guys that can come in and you know get the job done, you know Dre has some big catches this year Chuck has some big, you know catches in place this year even on pumping turn. So just some guys that came in and you know accepted the role that they’ve been, you know assigned basically and these guys have been showing nothing but you know, love confidence and you know, and they stay in the Playbook, you know, they’re smart and they really good at reading teachers as well.
If these are the final three regular season games in a Bengals uniform for Higgins, he’s got the chance to make quite the lasting impression. If Chase has to sit multiple games, the receiving burden will fall directly on Higgins’ broad shoulders. This is his chance to show all potential suitors just how important he can be to an offense.
“Just keep being who we are, just keep playing complementary football and just play Bengal football at the end of the day,” Higgins said.
It won’t be just Higgins who has to pick up the slack for Chase. Trenton Irwin will be called upon to make several big catches, along with rookies Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones.
“There’s just a lot of humble guys in this receiver corps,” Higgins said. “We all just want to see each other when and do great. So I mean feel like as long as we got that mindset we’ll be all right.”
Tee Higgins explains the unselfishness of the Bengals receivers and his advice to new college recruits on national signing day. “Keep grinding, keep working for what you want… God got you” pic.twitter.com/LT2UGttDl7
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 21, 2023
One of the qualities Higgins has shown in his time with the Bengals is humility. Not once has he mentioned his pending contract status, free agency or clamored to get more touches during games. It’s a remarkable show of maturity that stands out in this day and age of me-now NFL offense.
“I think it’s just something that we realized. We got three really three really good receivers. I mean everybody’s not going to get the ball every single play, you know I’m saying so and we realize that early so you just transpired so game I’m saying so it doesn’t matter if Tyler goes off. It doesn’t matter Chuck or Andrei goes off. If Ja’Marr goes off, or even if I go off, we’re all happy and as long as we get the W, that’s all that matters.”
In honor of college football’s national signing day on Wednesday, Tee Higgins was asked if he recalled the moment in 2017 when he committed as a high school senior to Clemson.
“Yeah, I do. Actually it’s a lot of excitement, you know, it’s a joyful moment,” Higgins recalled. “For me, it was one step closer to getting reaching my goal, which is where I’m here now. So to those kids that just signed, congratulations! Work’s not done. Keep grinding and keep working for what you want and everything will work out. God got you.”
