Ja’Marr Chase’s Pro Bowl grievance gets a happy resolution thanks to rival player’s decision

Tee Higgins is set to join Ja’Marr Chase in the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium.
Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium. © Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is going to his first-career Pro Bowl.

Higgins, who was revealed as a second alternate for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games last month, is set to replace Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers on the AFC roster for next week’s festivities in San Francisco, CA. Flowers opted out Wednesday, opening the spot for Higgins to become a first-time Pro Bowler.

He’ll also join his teammate, Ja’Marr Chase, and Chase has to be very happy about that.

Ja’Marr Chase’s wish for Tee Higgins comes true, kinda

Chase was the only Bengals player to make the initial AFC Pro Bowl roster when it was announced in December. Chase, Flowers, Nico Collins of the Houston Texans, and Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos were the four wideouts to make the squad.

This upset Chase, on Christmas Eve nonetheless, because Higgins didn’t make the cut.

There’s honor in being voted in as a guaranteed Pro Bowler. Being an alternate means you’re dependent on others, or just one another, opting out in front of you. Cleveland Browns quarterback Sheduer Sanders was an alternate who now finds himself a first-time Pro Bowler as well, and plenty of fans have had something to say about that development.

Chase is now a five-time Pro Bowler without ever being an alternate. He wanted Higgins to experience that this year, and he had a decent argument.

Pro Bowl rosters were announced before Higgins added another 126 yards and a touchdown to his impressive 2025 resume. He finished with 59 receptions for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns. Only Los Angeles Rams WR Davante Adams had more TDs with 14.

Good enough to just miss the cut, to Chase’s dismay, but now that an AFC North rival in Flowers is staying home, Higgins can join in on the fun next week. It’s the first time Cincinnati has had two Pro Bowl receivers in the same season since 2007 when both Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmanzadeh earned the honors.

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