Steelers' AFC North Rivals Dealing With Huge Issue That Could Wreck Their Season: 'It's Become Personal'

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in one of the better divisions in the NFL in the AFC North. While the Steelers have made moves to upgrade their quarterback room, they still lag behind the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals in terms of pure talent at the position. Lamar Jackson is a former two time MVP with elite dual-threat capabilities, and Joe Burrow, when healthy, is one of the best pure passers in football. The Cleveland Browns, meanwhile, have created confusion with a crowded quarterback room featuring up to five potential starters, making their future under center uncertain.

The real threats to Pittsburgh in the division are clearly the Bengals and Ravens, both boasting dynamic offenses and strong defensive cores. Baltimore continues to build around Jackson with an improved receiving corps and a stout defense led by Roquan Smith. Cincinnati, despite their offensive firepower, is facing internal tension due to salary cap constraints. The Bengals have handed out massive deals to Burrow and other key players, but that financial commitment has made it difficult to retain other stars.

One of the biggest storylines in Cincinnati is the contract standoff with edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. A cornerstone of the Bengals’ defense, Hendrickson is reportedly seeking a new deal "well above" $30 million annually to reflect his elite production and the rising market value for premier pass rushers, according to ESPN. Hendrickson addressed the media on Tuesday and revealed that tensions have escalated between him and the organization. 

"You try not to let the business become personal," Hendrickson said. "I think over the last week or so, it's become personal, unfortunately. And when there's a lack of communication in any relationship, whether it's business or a personal relationship, lack of communication leads to animosity and that leaves me with no clear direction."

If the situation with Hendrickson continues to deteriorate, it could become a serious distraction for a Bengals team already under pressure to bounce back in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions. 

Cincinnati missed the playoffs in 2024 despite MVP-caliber performances from Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, highlighting how defensive shortcomings held them back. Now, with Hendrickson's contract dispute escalating, the Bengals risk further weakening a defense that already struggled to complement their high-powered offense.

"I am a Floridian, so there are unprovoked shark attacks and there are provoked shark attacks," Hendrickson said. "The comments that are being made, whatever happened at the combine, whatever happened at the owners meeting, and the text I got yesterday — this is not something where I am just twiddling my thumbs trying to get the next one up."

Hendrickson has been the anchor of their pass rush, and without a resolution, the Bengals could find themselves without their most impactful defensive player. Losing him, or even having a disgruntled version of him in the locker room, puts even more pressure on Burrow and the offense to carry the team. 

Hendrickson has made it clear he won't play without a deal he views as fair in 2025. In a division where every game matters and playoff margins are razor thin, this kind of internal conflict could be the difference between another postseason miss and a return to contender status.

Steelers Still Have To Figure Out Watt's Extension

For a team with championship aspirations, this is far from an ideal scenario. The Bengals need to strike a balance between managing their cap and retaining elite talent. Letting a player like Hendrickson grow increasingly frustrated could have ripple effects both on and off the field. As the AFC North only gets more competitive, Cincinnati can't afford to let locker room tension derail their season before it even begins.

The Steelers aren’t in as much trouble as the Bengals, but they also face a similar issue with their star edge rusher, TJ Watt. The market price for edge rushers has skyrocketed, and Pittsburgh made a mistake by not getting a deal done with Watt earlier at a lower cost. Now, like the Browns with Myles Garrett, they will likely have to pay a massive sum to keep an aging star pass rusher on the roster.