The Cincinnati Bengals once found themselves in the spotlight, even reaching a Super Bowl, but since then, things have been downhill. That’s why Joe Burrow and his teammates are looking to make a statement in the upcoming NFL season, boasting an offensive firepower that few teams in the league can match.
Tee Higgins and Chase Brown are two of Burrow’s most targeted weapons on the field, and both the receiver and the running back know that if they stay focused on their goals, they can be a force to be reckoned with—starting in the AFC North.
“I definitely think it will be more on the hyper-focused side than, you know, pissed off,” Higgins told the Cincy Jungle’s Orange and Black Insider Bengals podcast. “Obviously, we’re pretty upset we haven’t made the playoffs in a long time, but I think it’s more hyper-focused because most of the guys on the offensive side of the ball are coming back.”
He also added: “So, obviously we need to lock back in and keep doing what we’ve been doing the past three years, and just putting it together as a whole, as a team. Just like how if you’ve got special teams, offense and defense working together — you need all of that. … As long as we do that, I feel like we’ll be OK and make that run late in the season.”
Tee Higgins #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brown in sync with Higgins
When it come to offensive firepower in the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals can’t be overlooked. If healthy, Joe Burrow has three top-tier players to lean on: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown. It’s the latter who recently warned opponents about what could be in store for the upcoming season.
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“We’ll be motivated, man. We’ve had two years where our playoff hopes haven’t been in our control, so that’s definitely a focus going into this coming season is being in control, starting fast and winning the games that matter — which is every single game,” Brown said in the joint interview with Higgins.
“The ’24 season and the ’25 season, you look at some of those scores and kind of be like, hey, this could easily have gone our way. That’s what we know we’re capable of, is winning those tight games and playing deep into the playoffs and making a Super Bowl run.”
Chase Brown #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Will Joe Burrow be available next season?
After undergoing surgery for a Grade 3 turf toe injury suffered in Week 2 of the 2025 season, Joe Burrow successfully returned to the field late last year, finishing the final stretch of games as the starter.
Having completed his rehab and played through the end of the season, Burrow is expected to be fully healthy and at Zac Taylor’s disposal for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign.
Despite the Bengals missing the playoffs for a third consecutive year, the quarterback has expressed his commitment to the franchise, focusing the 2026 offseason on strengthening the roster to ensure a deep postseason run.
