The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly agreed to lucrative contract extensions with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins late Sunday night. Just minutes after news of the pacts was announced, Chase and Higgins found a creative way to confirm the report of the contract agreements.
The two Bengals receivers took to their respective accounts on X and both posted the same tweet: one handshake emoji.
🤝
— Tee Higgins⁵ (@teehiggins5) March 17, 2025
Just two minutes after Higgins's post, Chase followed suit.
— Ja’MarrChase (@Real10jayy__) March 17, 2025
Just as they were in their endeavors for new contracts, Chase and Higgins were in lockstep in reacting to the news afterwards. Chase, whose desire for a new contract dates back to this past summer when he sat out training camp in the lead-up to the 2024 season, now becomes the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history with an average annual salary just above $40 million per year. That surpasses the mark set earlier in March by Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Meanwhile, Higgins, who was franchise tagged for the second consecutive season, had expressed his displeasure with the Bengals' decision. Cincinnati reportedly intended to reach agreement on a long-term deal with Higgins before the July 15 deadline, at which point he would play out the '25 season on the tag. The Bengals did just that, and have now ensured that quarterback Joe Burrow's two top targets are under contract for the next few seasons (Chase until 2029 and Higgins until 2028).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins Confirmed Huge Contract Extensions With Identical Emoji.
