The Cincinnati Bengals organization can't help themselves when it comes to letting all their best players down. Superstar wide receiver Tee Higgins is the latest case to exacerbate the disturbing trend.
Whether it was Higgins insisting he was OK after hitting his head on the ground multiple times in Week 14's 39-34 loss at Buffalo, or it was medical personnel not checking him well enough, anyone with functioning irises could see Higgins shouldn't have played the whole game on Sunday.
Although he was still with it enough to haul in six catches for 92 yards and two TDs from Joe Burrow, Higgins did not look right. The Bengals didn't protect him from himself like they were obligated to.
Now, the short-term gain of Higgins' production amid a lost season could have far-reaching implications for the remainder of his career.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins reports concussion symptoms after team failed to protect him in Week 14
When this update dropped on X/Twitter from ESPN's Ben Baby, how could anyone in their right mind not be ready to come out of their skull at the Bengals?
Taylor said Higgins said he felt OK when he went through protocol yesterday and then reported the symptoms after the game.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) December 8, 2025
Look, things like this do happen. For instance, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy reported concussion symptoms on the flight back from his team's Week 12 game, and missed his next start. I didn't see anyone able to pin down precisely when McCarthy got hit in the head to trigger his head injury.
In Higgins' case, he was coming off his own concussion in Week 12 and clearly, blatantly slammed his head into the turf at Highmark Stadium on more than one occasion. At least two glaring instances. He was attended to by trainers the first time around, not as much the second time despite his obviously pained reaction, yet he remained in the game.
The Bengals are counting on Higgins, Burrow, and Ja'Marr Chase to be their core offensive trio for the foreseeable future. They are now a 4-9 football team. It's not like the playoffs are realistic.
It'd be one thing if this was an isolated incident. It's not. Rookie left guard Dylan Fairchild could barely move in a game earlier this season, yet Cincinnati's staff left him out there to yield a safety and possibly hurt himself more.
I get that NFL players want to play and will do anything they can to be on the field. They only get 17 guaranteed opportunities per season to do their thing. That leaves 348 other days, most of them spent on a relentless grind to be healthy, hone their craft, and lock in on the finer details of what makes professional football so difficult, beautiful, but ultimately grueling.
Higgins expressed his warrior mentality after Sunday's game, fancying himself as a courageous gladiator.
“I’m a soldier, soldiers take hits. It happens. It’s football. It’s the name of the game. Just gotta get up, next play mentality.” Tee Higgins on his day and returning from concussion, and landing hard again. pic.twitter.com/5ZQvhU7EQB
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 7, 2025
That's an admirable mindset to have, but again, this is where the team has to protect the player from himself. Using common sense would be a good starting point.
Tee Higgins shouldn't have been out there after slamming his head once, never mind twice, so soon after a recent concussion. It's such a bummer and, frankly, gross negligence that the Bengals left him out there knowing what we know now.
Perhaps this will spark a larger conversation about more care being put into the NFL's concussion protocol. Sadly, that's doubtful.