Bengals Legend Chad Johnson Calls Latest Tee Higgins Franchise Tag 'Disrespectful'

CINCINNATI — The top statistical receiver in Bengals history thinks the team is disrespecting Tee Higgins by franchise-tagging him in consecutive seasons.

Chad Johnson made those comments on ESPN's First Take Tuesday after the team tagged Higgins Monday with the intent to keep working toward a long-term deal.

"It's disrespectful. All it's saying is the first year, you tagged me. Okay. You want me to bet on myself," Johnson said on the show. "See if I can repeat it and do it again the second time you tag me, it's like when you like a girl, you're interested in her, and she put you in the friend zone."

Higgins has been negotiating with the Bengals on a new deal for two years and counting now. Cincinnati could've signed him to a much lower figure in 2023 and 2024, but let things fester to this point, and don't have long-term outlooks for its three top stars outside Joe Burrow as of this writing.

All of this as free agency negotiating gets ready to open on March 10 at noon ET.

"I love Tee Higgins. I love the Bengals. I love the organization," Johnson noted. "But if you don't value him long term. Why even play this game? Let him go, let him walk."

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