CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s career with the Bengals could now be over.
Hendrickson is reportedly going to undergo core muscle surgery that is expected to have him out for six weeks. The Bengals have only four regular-season games remaining and their prospect for landing a playoff berth is remote.
The 31-year-old Hendrickson hasn’t played since the Oct. 26 game against the New York Jets. He left that game late in the first half with what was reported as a back injury. He originally suffered that injury in the Oct. 12 game at Green Bay that led to him missing the following game on Oct. 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The injury designation has changed to back/hip/pelvis.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday that Hendrickson was seeing a specialist that day and apparently that was when surgery was decided.
Hendrickson is only under contract through the 2025 season after he signed a one-year, $29 million deal prior to the start of the season. That deal came together in late August after he threatened to not play this season unless he received an extension. He had been a hold-in for training camp after not participating in the team’s three-day mandatory mini-camp in June nor in any of the voluntary offseason program prior to that.
The team could place the franchise tag designation on him for 2026, but coming off surgery at his age the Bengals may allow him to leave in free agency.
Hendrickson played in only seven games this season, but is second on the team in quarterback sacks with 4.0.
An original draft pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2017, Hendrickson signed with the Bengals as a free agent prior to the 2021 season. In 72 regular-season games for the Bengals since then he had 61 sacks, including 17.5 in 2023 and 2024. His total in 2024 led the NFL and led him being selected first-team All-Pro.