Report: Former Clemson star Tee Higgins suffers major injury setback
Tee Higgins is one of many former Clemson stars thriving in the NFL, but one top NFL Insider recently revealed the star wide receiver recently underwent surgery for an injury that wasn’t reported during the 2021 season. In two seasons since getting drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, Higgins has 2,000 receiving yards 12 touchdowns and averages over 14 yards per grab.
“Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was spotted at a Cincinnati Reds game Tuesday with his left arm in a sling, had his labrum repaired in March, but is expected to be ready well before training camp starts,” NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday.
Higgins had 1,091 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season for the reigning AFC champions.
Last season, the big-bodied wideout was a pivotal piece of the Bengals’ unprecedented run to the Super Bowl and their plans moving forward. Although the injury doesn’t sound overly significant at this point, it’s enough for Bengals fans and Clemson die-hards who follow alumni in the pros to pause for concern. While the Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow combination caught fire and the targets were split between Higgins and the rookie star out of LSU, Higgins was the go-to safety blanket as defenses threw everything possible to blanket Chase late in the year.
When it mattered the most at the end of January… and into February when only two NFL teams remain, Tee Higgins delivered.
In their final three games of the season (two playoff games and the Super Bowl), Higgins was a huge part of the offensive success.
He hauled in seven receptions for 96 yards in the AFC Divisional win over the Titans and followed that up with 6 catches for 103 yards in the overtime thriller AFC CHampionship victory over the Chiefs.
But the former Clemson great has been under the brightest lights and played well in the national championship game vs. Alabama in 2018, so it’s no surprise he delivered in the Super Bowl as well.
Despite the loss, Higgins — who hauled in four receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns — was a bright spot and a key reason the Bengals kept it close in the 23-20 heartbreaker.
Tee Higgins quick journey from Clemson to the Super Bowl
The former Clemson star has had an incredible second season in the NFL. Higgins had 74 catches for 1,091 yards in the regular season, including six touchdowns.
Prior to joining the Bengals, Higgins had an incredible career at Clemson. He came on strong at the end of his freshman season and carried that momentum into his sophomore and junior seasons.
As a sophomore, Tee Higgins had 59 catches for 936 yards, helping the Tigers to a national title. As a junior, Higgins recorded 59 catches for 1,167 yards. He finished his career with 27 receiving touchdowns, which is tied with DeAndre Hopkins for the most career touchdown receptions in school history. Higgins is the only player in school history to record double-digit touchdown receptions in consecutive seasons.