Tee Higgins switching jersey number after season

Tee Higgins is looking to build upon an impressive rookie debut. The former Clemson star receiver is a key piece to the Cincinnati Bengals’ young offensive core, but there’s just one small problem that is starting to bother Higgins.

He wears No. 85 in a city where one of the most memorable wideouts to play sported that same number.

“I keep seeing on Twitter, ‘Ochocinco 2.0,’” Higgins said.

Clearly the number isn’t hurting his production. After a breakout debut NFL season where he had just under 1,000 yards and six touchdowns, Higgins opened Week 1 with four receptions for 58 yards and a score in the overtime win against the Minnesota Vikings.

Back to his roots

Clemson die-hard fans will always envision Higgins in his signature No. 5 jersey. In three years at Clemson, the 6-foot-4 pass-catcher hauled in 135 receptions for 2,448 yards and 27 touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 18.1 yards per catch.

Though NFL rules prohibit a mid-season jersey switch, Higgins has plans to go back to the No. 5 that is synonymous with his Clemson days.

“I don’t want to be a 2.0,” Higgins added. “No disrespect to Chad. He’s a great receiver, this and that. I just don’t want to be a 2.0 for myself, man. I want to be Tee Higgins, 1.0, number five.”

Tee Higgins’ teammates defend hush critics

Criticism has come early and often for rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The questions began early as fans and analysts wondered aloud why the Bengals took Chase over some of the offensive linemen on the board. Chase did not help things in the preseason, struggling to adjust to the new NFL ball throughout the preseason with multiple dropped passes.

Perhaps no one in Cincinnati is a bigger Ja’Marr Chase fan than Joe Burrow. The Bengals franchise quarterback is familiar with the wide receiver from their time together at LSU. Coming off an impressive Week One win, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase teamed up to respond to their critics.

“Thought he was dropping everything?” Burrow quipped as he walked to the podium for his postgame press conference.

Chase caught five passes on seven targets for 101 yards and a touchdown to known off the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in overtime. In addition, Burrow finished the game with 261 passing yards and two touchdowns.

The impressive showing silenced noise which built throughout the offseason about the Bengals offense.

“That’s just trash talk,” Chase told reporters. “Block out the noise. I knew I was going to do it, just a matter of time.”

Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase could be a serious problem for opposing defenses for a long time.