Monday afternoon delivered the news that everyone connected to the Cincinnati Bengals had been anticipating for months.
Tee Higgins has officially signed his franchise tag for the 2024 season as he could not come to terms on a desired long-term extension with the Bengals. The signs of Higgins’ dissatisfaction with the negotiations were evident, setting up a scenario reminiscent of the “Last Dance” for the Bengals as a top Super Bowl contender.
The Bengals’ announcement of Higgins’ tag appears to be an attempt to soften the impact of their unsuccessful contract talks with one of their star players on their fan base.
Many NFL fans noticed that the Bengals referred to Higgins’ tag as a “one-year contract” in their tweet, despite the fact that Higgins had no choice in the matter:
We have re-signed WR Tee Higgins to a one-year contract.
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) June 17, 2024
And so, the Bengals’ chapter with Higgins comes to an end, at least for now.
He will play out the 2024 season under his tag, likely achieving another season of 100 catches and over 1,000 yards. He may even earn his first Pro Bowl nod. But regardless of the results of the Bengals’ upcoming season, their initial social media message regarding Higgins’ tag does not change the fact that this is likely his final year in Cincinnati.
NFL fans took notice of the misleading language in the Bengals’ tweet about Tee Higgins’ franchise tag
This might be the first time I’ve seen a team avoid using the term “franchise tag” and phrasing it like a regular extension lol https://t.co/zhqWujCwcL
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) June 17, 2024
