As the Bengals pivot into the 2026 season, star wideout Tee Higgins and breakout running back Chase Brown offered a clear window into the team’s mindset during a recent exclusive interview with us at Cincy Jungle and The Orange and Black Insider Bengals podcast.
We asked the duo, who kindly joined us via Bounty Paper Towels, ahead of Super Bowl LV, about the mindset of this team going into 2026 following three straight seasons of missing the playoffs. Pissed? Excited? Down in the dumps?
“Yeah, I definitely think it will be more on the ‘hyper-focused’ side, you know, other than pissed off,” said Higgins— a sentiment that reflects a locker room focused not just on talent but on togetherness. “Obviously, we’re pretty upset that 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.”
Higgins and fellow star receiver Ja’Marr Chase both signed long-term deals to stay in Cincinnati last offseason, as did Mike Gesicki. This followed Joe Burrow’s mega-extension back in the 2023 offseason, while much of the 2025 starting offensive linemen are also under contract in 2026.
“So, obviously, we need to lock back in and keep doing what we’ve been doing the past three years and put it together as a whole, as a team,” Higgins continued. “Just like how if you have special teams, offense and defense working together—you need all of that…as long as we do that, I think we’ll be okay and make that run late in the season.”
Cincinnati looked to be on the precipice of creating a dynasty back in 2021-2022. However, a lethal combination of injuries to key players, roster attrition, some draft misses, and just plain bad luck has seen them miss out on the postseason from 2023 to 2025.
Brown echoed the same confidence, adding, “We’ll be motivated, man,” reinforcing the belief that Cincinnati’s core players aren’t just hopeful — they’re intentional about improvement and execution as the new campaign approaches.
“I’ve had two years where our playoff hopes haven’t been in our control, so that’s definitely a focus this coming season is being in control, start fast and winning those games that matter—which is every single one.”
Brown also touched on those tight, one-score games that have doomed the Bengals the past two seasons as a key to a turnaround in 2026. He feels the Bengals are “capable of winning those tight games”, it’s just a matter of getting on the right side of those squeakers and racking up the wins.
Together, Higgins and Brown paint a picture of a Bengals squad that isn’t content with past successes or failures, but instead driven by a collective commitment to growth and competitiveness in a stacked AFC North. Of course, the division will have a much different look this year with three new head coaches (Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh, Todd Monken in Cleveland, and Jesse Minter in Baltimore, respectively), but the path to the playoffs will undoubtedly be via high success in the division.
Higgins was a late Pro Bowl addition this week, which is well-deserved, given his near-1,000-yard season and 11 touchdown grabs. Brown was a valuable multidimensional weapon who should be in line for an offseason extension with the team, like Higgins and Chase last year.
Regardless, fans should take note: When both offensive weapons talk about unity and purpose this early, it suggests Cincinnati’s mentality is as formidable as its roster. It now comes down to putting these words into action.
Our thanks to Tee Higgins, Chase Brown, and the fine folks with Bounty Paper Towels. The Super Bowl is about watching the big game with family and friends, as well as some great food, and Bounty is the perfect Wingman for your party.
Whether you’re serving sauced wings, pizza, or other great foods that could leave a mess, have plenty of Bounty on hand at the party! After all, it is “The quilted, quicker, picker-upper”!
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