It’s the fourth quarter of a tied AFC Championship game. Joe Montana drops back, scans the field, and hits Jerry Rice for the game-winner. Legacy cemented. Now, fast-forward to 2025. The stakes aren’t on the field—they’re in the front office. And Tee Higgins just pulled off a Montana-level audible.

For Bengals fans who remember the “Lost Decade” of the ’90s, this moment hits differently. Cincinnati used to be the league’s bargain bin, trading stars like Boomer Esiason rather than paying them. Now?

They’re writing checks that would make Jerry Jones blush. But how’d we get here? Let’s just say Higgins channeled his inner Deion Sanders—“If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.” Moreover, Tee Higgins didn’t just want a bag—he orchestrated a heist.

By ditching his agent and hiring Ja’Marr Chase’s rep, Rocky Arceneaux, Higgins turned contract talks into a package deal. Arceneaux’s message to the Bengals was clear: No Ja’Marr deal without Tee. And just like that, Cincinnati folded. Higgins secured a four-year, $115 million deal, while Chase became the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB at $161 million. Joe Burrow’s wish?

Granted. He has locked in his top targets through 2029. “In a savvy leverage move, Tee Higgins switched agents… Arcenaux told the team: no Ja’Marr deal without Tee,” tweeted NFL insider Ari Meirov. The Bengals, notorious for avoiding guarantees, even caved on Year 2 of Higgins’s contract. Masterclass? More like Moneyball with shoulder pads. However, this was Burrow’s Avengers assemble moment…

Cincinnati’s offense is now a Marvel movie. Burrow (career 68.6% completion rate), Chase (2024 Triple Crown winner), and Higgins (74 catches for 911 yards in an injury-shortened 2024) form a trio that’s averaging 34-18 when healthy. But superhero teams need balance. The Bengals’ defense? More like The Bad News Bears.

By the Numbers:

• Chase’s 2024: 127 catches, 1,708 yards, 17 TDs (6th-ever Triple Crown).
• Higgins’ Career: 4,595 yards, 34 TDs—8th-highest-paid WR.
• Cap Space Post-Deals: $26.8M (OTC).

Now, here’s the catch. The Bengals have pulled off a heist of their own…

The roster juggling act that resulted in cap flexibility

Extending Higgins and Chase lowered their 2025 cap hits. Higgins’s franchise tag was $26.2M; Chase’s fifth-year option $21.8M. Restructuring freed up cash for GM Duke Tobin to fix a defense that ranked 26th in points allowed. “We want a high payroll and low dead money,” Tobin said. Translation?

Pay stars, cut clutter. But not everything’s sunny in Ohio. Pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks, is still waiting on his deal. The Bengals’ cap gymnastics bought time, but Hendrickson’s patience is thinning. As the saying goes, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”—unless you’re Tee Higgins.

The Bengals bet big on chemistry. Higgins’ gamble paid off, Burrow got his guys, and Chase got paid. But in a league where defenses build dynasties, can Cincy’s offense score more points than its problems allow?

As The Godfather’s Vito Corleone quipped, “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” For the Bengals, family is Burrow, Chase, and Higgins. But will loyalty trump Lombardi?

Question for the Fans: Can this trio finally bring a Super Bowl to Cincinnati? Or is this another chapter in the “almost” saga?