Congrats to Tee Higgins

[oridgecat]

Cincinnati Bengals hung the franchise tag on Oak Ridger, Tee Higgins yesterday for $29 million for next season.   I just wanted to recognize that this could not happen to a finer young man.  When Tee was in middle school, anybody that saw him play football and especially basketball knew that OR community had something special coming up.   We are used to great athletes around here, but Tee was different.  As a freshmen he returned a kickoff for a TD at Halls, we got a glimpse.  Later that year  he started as a freshmen in basketball.  When he Air Jordan dunked from the free throw line, left handed, over the Clinton starting five, our students shouted, "He's a freshmen, He's a freshmen!". That dunk made ESPN SportsCenter, we knew then, this kid is special.  Tee, by all accounts, was a great teammate, and without question was the hardest worker on the team, both sports.  He still comes to the Ridge regularly, and he is just the same friendly, humble and polite guy that he has always been.  Tee is proud of his community and where he comes from, and he gives back in ways that nobody will ever know about.  Great story.  If people knew what Tee has overcome to get where he is, let's just say it could be an ESPN 30 for 30 special.  So, congratulations to Tee and Lady and family.

 

And selfishly,  I can finally say that I am finally friends with a millionaire as I slave away in the mines! Go Cats! 

[MidTennFootball]

Kind of surprised  Cincy tagged him. Hopefully they're committed to keeping him there and not just trying to string him along bc they haven't extended Chase yet.

If you saw Higgins play in person at OR, this doesn't surprise you at all

[SheriffofRedRock]

 

Congrats to Tee for sure. He deserves it. Great athlete and hopeful that an East TN kid can get a ring somewhere.

[SheriffofRedRock]

8 minutes ago, MidTennFootball said:

Kind of surprised  Cincy tagged him. Hopefully they're committed to keeping him there and not just trying to string him along bc they haven't extended Chase yet.

If you saw Higgins play in person at OR, this doesn't surprise you at all

I'm afraid they value Chase more after paying Joe. I imagine this will be the last run of the trio together. They will ask one or both of Tee and Chase to take lesser money to keep the other. Maybe they do it, but I would see about greener pastures with a QB still on the rookie deal. Hard to pay everyone else once that QB is signed. 

I would checkout Houston if I was Tee after this year. Maybe go team back up with his college QB in TLaw

[ILB1999]

1 minute ago, SheriffofRedRock said:

I'm afraid they value Chase more after paying Joe. I imagine this will be the last run of the trio together. They will ask one or both of Tee and Chase to take lesser money to keep the other. Maybe they do it, but I would see about greener pastures with a QB still on the rookie deal. Hard to pay everyone else once that QB is signed. 

I would checkout Houston if I was Tee after this year. Maybe go team back up with his college QB in TLaw

wasn't there just a big bump in salary cap?  Why couldn't they swing both?

[SheriffofRedRock]

1 minute ago, ILB1999 said:

wasn't there just a big bump in salary cap?  Why couldn't they swing both?

I mean you have more than 3 players on an offense much less a team. I don't know the numbers of the cap or the projectd contracts they(tee and chase) would demand. There is a reason why they franchised him though. Franchising aint cheap for the year.

[MidTennFootball]

1 hour ago, SheriffofRedRock said:

I'm afraid they value Chase more after paying Joe. I imagine this will be the last run of the trio together. They will ask one or both of Tee and Chase to take lesser money to keep the other. Maybe they do it, but I would see about greener pastures with a QB still on the rookie deal. Hard to pay everyone else once that QB is signed. 

I would checkout Houston if I was Tee after this year. Maybe go team back up with his college QB in TLaw

No offense to Higgins, but they should. Burrow took a team friendly deal so I think keeping both isn't that crazy but if Tee wants WR1 money, I don't think it will be in Cincy.

[SheriffofRedRock]

8 minutes ago, MidTennFootball said:

No offense to Higgins, but they should. Burrow took a team friendly deal so I think keeping both isn't that crazy but if Tee wants WR1 money, I don't think it will be in Cincy.

I agree with you if he does want WR1 $$$ then it would be elsewhere.

[SweetScience]

4 hours ago, oridgecat said:

Cincinnati Bengals hung the franchise tag on Oak Ridger, Tee Higgins yesterday for $29 million for next season.   I just wanted to recognize that this could not happen to a finer young man.  When Tee was in middle school, anybody that saw him play football and especially basketball knew that OR community had something special coming up.   We are used to great athletes around here, but Tee was different.  As a freshmen he returned a kickoff for a TD at Halls, we got a glimpse.  Later that year  he started as a freshmen in basketball.  When he Air Jordan dunked from the free throw line, left handed, over the Clinton starting five, our students shouted, "He's a freshmen, He's a freshmen!". That dunk made ESPN SportsCenter, we knew then, this kid is special.  Tee, by all accounts, was a great teammate, and without question was the hardest worker on the team, both sports.  He still comes to the Ridge regularly, and he is just the same friendly, humble and polite guy that he has always been.  Tee is proud of his community and where he comes from, and he gives back in ways that nobody will ever know about.  Great story.  If people knew what Tee has overcome to get where he is, let's just say it could be an ESPN 30 for 30 special.  So, congratulations to Tee and Lady and family.

 

And selfishly,  I can finally say that I am finally friends with a millionaire as I slave away in the mines! Go Cats! 

Imagine how crazy Willie would be going if he was still with us. 

[oridgecat]

10 minutes ago, MidTennFootball said:

No offense to Higgins, but they should. Burrow took a team friendly deal so I think keeping both isn't that crazy but if Tee wants WR1 money, I don't think it will be in Cincy.

Wow! Team friendly is now $275 million over 5 yrs.  55 mil a year.  Crazy man

[GWAVE1]

Congratulations to Tee.  He was an awesome player.  He won Mr Football his senior year ahead of Gallatin’s Jordan Mason whom was runner-up.  Mason just finished his second year for the 49ers and Higgins gets a lucrative franchise tag.  I’d say both have done their communities well! 

[MidTennFootball]

21 minutes ago, oridgecat said:

Wow! Team friendly is now $275 million over 5 yrs.  55 mil a year.  Crazy man

2024 is the biggest salary of his deal at 55M, after that it steadily drops down into the mid 40s for the rest of the deal. So yes, Burrow took a page from Brady and left a significant amount of money on the table in the hopes his team can't put it to good use elsewhere