“Son, I already chose the streets for you. I did that already, and now you don’t have to go through it. You can choose to be different. You can be something special.” And Tee Higgins kept the promise he made years ago to his mother Camilla Stewart as she pushed his son to accept a college football scholarship. Years later, the WR has kept on his words.

Tee Higgins has never just played for himself. He plays for his mother, Camilla Stewart, the woman who fought her way back from addiction, survived being shot twice, and never stopped believing in him. Her dream was simple: to see her son play in a Super Bowl. In 2022, Higgins made that happen. Now, with a massive new contract worth $115 million and unfinished business in Cincinnati, he’s determined to take it one step further—winning it all.

After weeks of delays, the Bengals finally locked in on Higgins. However, many fans do not know the journey that brought Tee here. This contract was a big deal for the WR as it was part of the promise he made to his mother. A former substance addict saw her son’s potential. And for him, she left the habit that was taking her down with a newfound determination– end the nightmare she was living and create a new dream. Watching his mother recover ignited a fire in the heart of Higgins to achieve his mother’s dream.

Higgins played the biggest game of his career on February 13, 2022, against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI (56). And before the start of the game, the man received one of the most emotional notes from his mother.

Camilla recorded an audio in which she explained how overjoyed she was that Tee Higgins is in the SB, “Hey Tee, it’s mama. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. I’ve always dreamed and wanted to go to the Super Bowl. And now, my dream has finally come true – I get to watch my son play in the Super Bowl. I can’t explain to you what that means to me. Like I always tell you, play hard and have fun. I love you, son.”

This is truly the best motivation a player can have. After what happened when the WR was only six years old, he made certain that her mother never had any trouble in life.

In 2005, Camilla Stewart survived being shot twice in the head by her boyfriend—who was also her substance dealer. That incident became a turning point in her life. She not only recovered but also fought to overcome her addiction, transforming her future. Her strength and resilience became a powerful source of inspiration for Higgins, shaping the drive and determination he carries on the field today.

And you know what they say, “If your mother believes in you, nothing in the world can stop you.” And guess what? This is exactly what happened in the SB LVI. Tee Higgins was literally in God-Mode that day.

He played an important role for his squad, gaining 100 yards on four catches and two touchdown grabs. The WR was truly unstoppable, as he even caught a 75-yard pass that kept the Bengals in the lead for a long time in the game. But unfortunately, luck never favored the WR. Despite his best efforts, the Bengals lost the game by a few inches. And in the end, the Rams stood tall with the score of 23-20.

Every Cincinnati fan was heartbroken at the time, but there is still hope that the team will win its first Big Game soon. After all, Tee Higgins will surely be with the team for the next few seasons.

Tee Higgins can still win the Super Bowl with the Bengals

This year, the number 5’s future was the most uncertain. The Bengals were completely unsure what they were going to do with the WR, so they put their franchise tag on him for the second consecutive season, keeping him for at least the 2025 season. However, despite using the franchise tag, the Bengals did not want to take the risk. Thus, they offered Higgins a contract extension of $115 million for four years. With this deal, he became the highest-paid WR2 in the league’s history.

In 2024 where he played limited number of games due to ankle and quadriceps injuries, Tee ran 911 yards for 10 TDs for 73 receiving in 12 games. Since he was picked as the second-round pick in 2020, Tee has played 58 regular season games, starting 53 of those. His numbers run 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 TDs.

Not to mention, his consecutive 1000-yard seasons in 2021-22. His receptions within first four career seasons are fourth in Bengals’ all-time record. With his postseason record of 6 starts in 7 games, he ranks second with 31 receptions and 457 receiving yards in the franchise.

No wonder, HC Zac Taylor is more than happy to keep him in Cincinnati. After re-signing him, he told, “I’m excited to move forward with Tee. He’s done a great job handling his situation, and we are happy to get him back in the fold so we can start working toward a great 2024 season. The locker room will be excited to have him back around.”

Now that Higgins has fulfilled his mother’s ambition of playing in the Super Bowl, he can achieve even more by winning one. The WR has stated multiple times that he plays the game solely to keep his mother happy. In one of the media appearances, he even stated, “My mom is my hero. She’s been through so much, and she’s the strongest person I know.”

These are just a small glimpse of what the WR is capable of, and hopes are that he will do much better in 2025. With Joe Burrow, the Bengals’ championship window remains open. Who knows, maybe the WR will achieve his and his mother’s ultimate dream this year.