Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has been productive each year since the team drafted him in 2020, but injuries to both him and quarterback Joe Burrow have prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Higgins stayed healthy in his first three seasons, notching 900-plus receiving yards and six-plus touchdowns in each of them. However, the former Clemson Tiger played 12 games in both 2023 and 2024 because of hamstring injuries. He posted a career-low 656 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, but bounced back with 911 yards and 10 scores in 2024.
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Higgins has already played 12 games in 2025, but he is in concussion protocol for the second time this year after injuring his head against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, per ESPN’s Ben Baby. The NFL and NFLPA released a joint statement on Monday, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Tee Higgins was evaluated twice in game and cleared to return,” the statement reads. “After the game, in discussion with club medical personnel as part of a postgame evaluation, he notified the team he was experiencing symptoms and was immediately placed in the concussion protocol.”
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Higgins missed Cincinnati’s 32-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13 due to a concussion after hurting his head against the New England Patriots the previous week.
Tee Higgins, Joe Burrow Injuries Limit Bengals’ Success
Cincinnati is now 4-9 after Sunday’s 39-34 loss to Buffalo, and that’s partially because of the injury bug. Burrow went down with turf toe in Week 2 and didn’t return until the aforementioned Ravens game, forcing the Bengals to roll with backups Jake Browning and Joe Flacco. Now that Burrow is back, Higgins is having his own health issues.
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This script is nothing new for the Bengals. Burrow missed the rest of the 2023 season after tearing a ligament in his right wrist during a Week 11 matchup with Baltimore, and he suffered a season-ending knee injury during a Week 11 game against the Washington Football Team (now Commanders) as a rookie in 2020.
On the bright side, superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase has played a full season every year besides 2022. The Bengals made a Super Bowl appearance in 2021, when he, Burrow, and Higgins were healthy all season.
Up next for Cincinnati is a home date with Baltimore on Sunday. The game will start at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.