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Chad Johnson Not Happy With 'Disrespectful' Move By Bengals

Originally posted on The Spun | By Kameron Duncan | Last updated Mar 4, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Chad Johnson looks back fondly on his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, and with good reason. Johnson played in Cincinnati for 10 seasons, making six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams.

Johnson is rightfully regarded as a Bengals legend, but he had some critical words for the franchise after a recent decision regarding one of their best players.

For the second straight year, the Bengals have chosen to place the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins instead of working to iron out a long-term deal. During Tuesday's episode of ESPN's "First Take," Johnson had a simple, one-word reaction to the Bengals placing the tag on Higgins.

"Disrespectful," Johnson said, speaking to host Molly Querim and his partner on "Nightcap," Shannon Sharpe.

"Disrespectful."

—Former Bengals WR @ochocinco on Tee Higgins receiving the franchise tag pic.twitter.com/pCzynDUvqA
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 4, 2025

“All it’s saying, ‘The first year, you tagged me, OK, you want me to bet on myself to see if I can repeat it and do it again.’ The second time you tag me, it’s like when you like a girl, and you’re interested in her, and she puts you in the ‘Friend Zone.,'" Johnson said.

Johnson said that the Bengals have used the tag twice to buy time to make a long-term deal, but that they would have signed Higgins to a long-term contract if that was truly the plan.

Johnson then advocated for Higgins to consider taking a long-term deal with another team, as much as he would love for Higgins to stay in Cincinnati.

“I love Tee Higgins, I love the Bengals, I love the organization. But if you don’t value him long term, why even play this game?," Johnson asked.

"Let him go, let him walk. I have a great understanding, he has a great understanding of what he can make on the open market.”

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 16: Tee Higgins #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Paycor Stadium on December 16, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images)Jeff Dean/Getty Images

Sharpe agreed, saying that in his estimation, the Bengals are "betting against themselves."

"At what point in time did [the Bengals] realize, ‘You know what? Tee Higgins is a valuable commodity to us. We drafted him, we grew him, and now he’s matured to what we believed he would be when we selected him in the second round.’

Either you believe in me or you don’t."

We'll see if the public pressure from one of the organization's greatest wide receivers of all time influences the Bengals to consider re-negotiating with Higgins. We'll also see if it influences Higgins to consider moving on from the Bengals and signing with a different team entirely.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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