Bengals Edge Rusher Shemar Stewart Eager To Join the 'Party' Sunday at Houston

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart is expecting to make his season debut Sunday in Houston.

And while he’ll be less than two hours away from where he starred at Texas A&M, the true homecoming for the 2025 first-round pick will be his return to the field more than his college stomping grounds.

“I’m very anxious,” Stewart said after Thursday’s practice, in which he was a full participant for the second day in a row.

“Sometimes it’s hard watching the party from outside,” he added. “I just want to work my way back in there. I wanna earn it.”

Bengals DE Shemar Stewart Says He Can Give 30 Solid Snaps Sunday

Stewart said the knee is close to 100 percent and there are “very minimal” reminders of the injury.

He’s hoping to be active Sunday to add to a pass rush that sacked Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield four times last year.

“I’d like to play a solid 30 (snaps), on the high end,” Stewart said. “It almost feels normal now.”

Stewart hyperextended his left knee in the first practice of training camp July 29. He didn’t return to practice until Sept. 2.

The Bengals didn’t have to list a practice report until Sept. 9, the Wednesday before the season opener.

Stewart went full in that practice, then was listed as limited the next day and did not practice on Friday, with the team designating him as “doubtful” for Tampa Bay. And he ended up being one of the seven inactives.

But this week has been different with the back-to-back full practices.

“I've been hit, been getting doubled, running full speed, running to the ball,” he said. “I mean, everything feels pretty good, so no complaints.”

Stewart missed a lot of time during his rookie year, starting with to a contract dispute after the team used the No. 17 pick on him. He played in the season opener but injured his ankle in Week 2 and missed four games. Later in the season, a knee injury landed him on IR and caused him to miss five games.

“My ankle and my knee from last year were whole different demons I was battling back then,” Stewart said. “This one is a lot easier.”

If Stewart is active Sunday against the Texans, it likely would mean Cedric Johnson would be inactive. Johnson played 17 snaps in the season opener, but only one game on third down.

The Bengals will release their final injury report Friday, and Stewart is likely to listed as “questionable” or with no designation at all.

Either way, it could be a game-time decision as to whether to play him.

“I just wanna work my way back out there,” he said. “Knowing all the work you put in the offseason, all the things you did, all the things you went through, all the hard workout sessions, and then all that just being a setback in Day 1, it kind of sucks. But sometimes you shouldn't ask why and just go with the plan.”

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