Heartbreaking revelation from Mike Gesicki makes Tee Higgins’ injury hurt so much more for the Bengals
Tee Higgins stepped up in a big way for the Cincinnati Bengals after Ja’Marr Chase went down against the Jacksonville Jaguars. An injury of his own occurred near the end of the game, and his absence was directly felt during a potential game-winning play.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins had his best game of the young 2026 season after Ja’Marr Chase left with a concussion. Unfortunately, Higgins’ day also ended prematurely.
Higgins suffered an adductor injury near the end of Cincinnati’s 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He tried to play through it, but he was sidelined for the rest of the game.
Higgins was seen grabbing at his groin after his 11th and final reception of the afternoon. He tried giving it a go and was soon removed from the game.
That left the Bengals without their best remaining receiver for their final drive of the day, and his absence was more crucial than you may’ve thought.
Mike Gesicki’s mistake was a direct consequence from Tee Higgins’ injury
Cincinnati nearly pulled off an improbable comeback against the Jags without Chase and Higgins on the field. Three completions to three different targets moved the Bengals 62 yards down the field and well within striking distance.
One of those completions reached the hands of tight end Mike Gesicki. He would soon be called upon again to deliver.
Cincy had trips to the field with Gesicki on the outside. He ran a vertical route against one-on-one coverage without a safety overtop of him. Burrow led him closer to the middle of the field with his incomplete throw. He called it “a little miscommunication” after the game.
Gesicki said it was on him, and that the play was originally designed for Higgins.
“It was a play that, because of personnel stuff, normally that’s Tee running that,” Gesicki told SI’s Jay Morrison. “So when I went in, I moved to Tee’s spot. I felt the corner heavy inside. I’m supposed to cross his face. I didn’t.”
Gesicki said he learned the play on the sideline, where Higgins was. Had Higgins been on the field, we very well could be talking about a win instead of a loss.
Chase, Higgins both in question for Week 5
Chase is set to enter the concussion protocol. He may or may not be able to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Higgins, meanwhile, will now be trying to play through a strain in his groin. It’s far from a guarantee that he will be able to heal in time for the team’s trip down to Miami.
Losing one of them for a week would be manageable. Cincinnati has done it before, and the Dolphins are a winless team with a very exploitable defense. Losing both would be more difficult even with Miami’s shortcomings, but the real concern would be what follows next week.
Bengals’ receiver depth was already stretched thin
The Bengals losing their top two receivers is only amplified by their lack of depth at the position entering the week.
Cincinnati woke up Sunday with just four healthy receivers on their active roster. Chase and Higgins were only flanked up by Dohnte Myers and Mitch Tinsley. Once both starters exited, Those two were all who remained. Colbie Young is also on the active roster, but he was out Sunday with a knee injury he suffered back in Week 3.
If neither Chase, Higgins, nor Young can play against the Dolphins, the cupboard gets awfully bare. Cincinnati has three receivers on its practice squad, including Ke’Shawn Williams, who was waived last week in order to fit Tinsley on the 53-man roster. I think the odds are that at least one of them will have to be elevated for the Bengals to field enough receivers to get through an entire game.
That’s not where any team wants to be in early October, especially one trying to stop a two-game skid.
Kudos to Higgins for trying to play through an injury when he was needed the most. The 27-year-old was one of the lone bright spots on the Bengals offense. With Chase out, he became the clear focal point, and he capitalized.
Higgins’ injury will now be a main story to follow this week, and we’ve already seen a direct impact of his absence.
