Both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cincinnati Reds have uniquely gifted superstars. The Bengals have the ultra-accurate Joe Burrow, the triple crown-winning Ja’Marr Chase, and the steel-handed Tee Higgins, while the Reds have the fire-balling Hunter Greene and the unicorn Elly De La Cruz.
There’s a very real chance, however, that none of them will be around by 2030. How could and why would this happen? Here’s a look at why 2030 will be the start of the next era for Cincinnati sports, for better or for worse.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals want to win now, as they’ve just extended their three best (non-QB) players, Chase, Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson. While Hendrickson technically wasn’t “extended,” his acquisition of a raise to remain for 2025 certainly felt like one, as the alternative was a trade.
Higgins and Chase, on the other hand, were given authentic extensions through 2028 and 2029, respectively. This aligns with Burrow, as his contract also keeps him in the jungle through 2029.
With Burrow’s and Chase’s drive for winning, if the Bengals don’t make another Super Bowl (or at the very least remain a viable contender for one), they may opt to leave. Cincinnati fans remember the Carson Palmer debacle like skin remembers a scar, and if either Burrow or Chase finds themselves in a similar situation, it might be too much for the fans to handle.
Of course, these are only the best players, and there are many others whose extensions will likely also hinge on both the team’s success and the presence of these three. These include Amarius Mims and Tahj Brooks in 2028, and Shemar Stewart in 2029.
In the worst-case scenario, the Bengals continue to miss the postseason, and Higgins, along with the first wave of aforementioned players, all decide to leave before Burrow, Chase, and the rest follow suit. That’s assuming that neither Burrow nor Chase would demand a trade before, too.
If they do win, however, and everyone decides to stay (or is viable enough to trade away before), this would set the franchise up nicely starting in 2030 and beyond. This puts a lot of pressure on the front office to win, as the difference between a franchise with a league-best quarterback and receiver and one with neither is drastic.
The chances of having two fall in their lap in two consecutive seasons again are near none, so they have to take advantage of their talent now. If they don’t, it could be the start of a very dark era of football in the Queen City (even by Cincinnati’s standards).
Cincinnati Reds
Right down the street from the Bengals and Paycor Stadium are the Reds, who are working with a similar timeline as their neighbors down the river. The face of the team, De La Cruz’s contract keeps him with the team through 2029, and ace Greene’s with the team through 2028.
It’s no secret that De La Cruz’s agent, Scott Boras, has little to no interest in discussing his client remaining in Cincinnati. Greene, too, could very well decide to move on, or be dealt beforehand if things are headed in the wrong direction with the Reds.
Baseball is different than football in that teams have more tools at their disposal, such as salary arbitration and contract renewals, to keep players around. This makes it a lot harder to determine where the rest of the team will be by this point, as several are younger and still going through this process.
If the team is struggling, though, it’s likely that they won’t be around as long, as trading is also much more common and maneuverable in the MLB. There is also the possibility of the Reds building a roster that can produce sustained success, though, which could keep both Greene and De La Cruz wanting to stay in Cincinnati.
Granted things go well for team manager Terry Francona, he could also get an extension as his contract is through 2027 (with a club option for 2028). A manager can have a massive impact on a team’s performance, and if they move on from Francona (barring things like health), it will almost certainly signify that the team is struggling.
If the team performs well enough to justify an extension for Francona, there’s a chance that Greene and/or De La Cruz would be convinced to stay in 2030. Especially since managers typically don’t last very long in Cincinnati.
End Of My Cincinnati 2030 Rant
Both the Bengals and the Reds have a daunting 2029 deadline looming, and each of their next eras hinges upon massive successes before then. If they can’t manage to perform up to the task, they may just lose their superstars.
It’s difficult to imagine Cincinnati without Burrow, Chase, Higgins, De La Cruz, and Greene, as they’ve become focal points of the city’s sports culture. It is, however, something that their fans may have to face if either or both fumble their opportunity to win with this kind of talent.
The march towards 2030 is underway, and the fate of both franchises is being written. Will Cincinnati lose its stars, or can it finally break its drought of not having a legitimate sports dynasty since the 1970s? The answer lies only in 2030.
The post Cincinnati 2030: Start Of The Next Era appeared first on Stadium Rant.