Tee Higgins responds to suggestion that he's faking hamstring injury

Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins missed the first game of the season after tweaking his hamstring in practice, and his outlook for the second game of the season is looking pretty grim.

Higgins shoots down notion that his injury isn't legitimate

Higgins requested a trade over the offseason after failing to reach an agreement on an extension with the Bengals, and his wish was never granted. This has led some to speculate that Higgins is actually faking his hamstring injury because he's unhappy with his current contract. Higgins, though, is here to shut down any such speculation.

"I just don't understand why fans think I'm faking an injury, when for me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over," Higgins said, via ESPN. "I just don't understand why they think I'm faking an injury. It doesn't make sense to me."

It really wouldn't make any sense for Higgins to fake an injury at this point. He's set for unrestriced free agency next offseason, so he's basically playing for a new contract this season, whether that be with Cincinnati or another franchise. Tanking his own season -- and in turn his own value -- by faking an injury wouldn't be a wise business decision, at all. He has nothing to gain by doing so. So, we're going to go ahead and believe Higgins here.

But while he's not faking the hamstring injury, Higgins also doesn't plan to rush back until he feels like he can play to his full ability. Since he is playing for a contract, he likely doesn't want to run the risk of further aggravating the injury by coming back too soon.

"I want to go out there and give my teammates a hundred percent of Tee Higgins, you know what I'm saying?" Higgins said. "I don't want to give them 50% and half-ass it just to be a presence on the field."

In other words, we'll see Higgins back out on the field when he's ready, and not a moment before. Fans in Cincinnati are hoping that is sooner rather than later, but hamstring injuries can be tricky. They've become a bit of a theme with Higgins too, as he also missed time during the 2023 due to hamstring issues.

So, while it's fair to question Higgins' durability, it seems unfair to question his integrity by suggesting that he is faking an injury. As a competitor, Higgins would probably much rather be out on the field with his teammates than standing on the sideline.