Trey Hendrickson sounds willing to follow his teammate's footsteps into the end zone for the Bengals
Trey Hendrickson watched from the sidelines two Sundays ago as fellow edge defender Sam Hubbard caught a touchdown pass against the Tennessee Titans. It's where Hendrickson's always been when the Cincinnati Bengals were on offense. He doesn't need to be the center of a trick play when his immense value as a pass rusher has […]
Trey Hendrickson watched from the sidelines two Sundays ago as fellow edge defender Sam Hubbard caught a touchdown pass against the Tennessee Titans. It's where Hendrickson's always been when the Cincinnati Bengals were on offense. He doesn't need to be the center of a trick play when his immense value as a pass rusher has always been enough.
But don't completely count out Hendrickson following in Hubbard's footsteps someday.
In a rare podcast appearance, Hendrickson made a rare podcast guest appearance on Ari Meriov's "NFL Spotlight" and was asked if he'd ever want the opportunity Hubbard got.
"You know, I'm not sure. I never say never in life," Hendrickson told Meirov.
Never is the answer to when Hendrickson has ever taken a snap on offense in the NFL. He logged 10 snaps at fullback during his college days at Florida Atlantic, much akin to Hubbard's 12 snaps at the position during his rookie season in Cincinnati.
Hubbard also reported eligible five times as an inline blocker this year prior to his shining moment in Nashville. The Bengals were waiting for the right look to make the call, all possible thanks to the veteran's willingness to do more than his job description.
"It was pretty amazing watching Sam score a touchdown," Hendrickson said. "That guy is a captain through and through, he does the stuff that other people won't. You want him in your foxhole, and for him to score a touchdown, I think it might have been the first Cincinnati defensive player to score on offense. And for Joe burrow to throw him a dot, I think that was just awesome, because they were friends in college too. It's was a pretty amazing moment."
The way Hendrickson speaks of Hubbard is extra heartwarming considering the latter's final snap in a Bengals uniform may've been that play. Hubbard suffered a torn PCL while scoring and is likely out for the year. The club will make a decision on his future in the offseason as his contract has just one year remaining.
Hendrickson has done more than his fair share on defense. He leads the NFL in sacks at 13.5, 9.5 more than the closest player on his own team. Perhaps making an impact on offense is the one thing missing from his impressive film catalogue.
At the very least, bringing Hendrickson onto the field would grab the attention of the defense. He'd be an ideal decoy to deploy on a routine play, but that's not what we want to see.
Hendrickson won't be a Bengal forever. His contract also expires after 2025 and he made it clear last offseason he wants a raise. Giving him a chance to follow in Hubbard's footsteps would be an amazing moment for one of the best players in recent franchise history.
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