The moment should have been pure excitement in Cincinnati. Shemar Stewart, the Bengals’ top draft pick, was supposed to inject hope into a franchise still reeling from last season’s playoff miss, even as Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase put up historic numbers on offense.
Instead, Stewart’s contract holdout has turned into one of the most stressful situations for the Bengals this summer, and team owner Mike Brown isn’t holding back.
How Will the Shemar Stewart-Bengals Contract Standoff Impact Cincinnati’s Season?
Edge rusher Shemar Stewart’s arrival was meant to help the Bengals’ coaching staff move past the frustration of the 2024-25 campaign, but his NFL debut has been delayed by a dispute over the fine print in his rookie deal.
While the contract’s full value is guaranteed — standard for first-round picks — specific clauses about off-field conduct have become a major sticking point. Stewart and his agent have argued that the language is unusually strict compared to other players around the league, leading to tension between the sides.
Bengals owner Mike Brown, never known for mincing words, has spoken bluntly about the situation. He’s publicly expressed his frustration, calling the holdout “foolishness.”
At the heart of the disagreement: the Bengals’ insistence on protections in case Stewart were to run afoul of league or team rules in a serious, potentially criminal way — something Brown stresses has never happened to a Bengals player during his long tenure as owner.
Full quote from Mike Brown on the contract disagreement with Shemar Stewart: “The issue seems to be about guaranteed money, if, in the event, he acted contrary to league rules or our rules. A criminal situation — something at that level. That’s never happened and we (Bengals)…
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) July 21, 2025
While Brown emphasizes that the Bengals have no intention of harming Stewart, he’s clear that the team won’t commit to paying a player who might end up incarcerated for off-field conduct unrelated to football.
Brown sees the conflict as unnecessary, stressing that he doesn’t actually expect Stewart to run into legal trouble, but believes strong protections are standard in this context.
#Bengals owner Mike Brown explaining the Shemar Stewart contract language situation:
“If we get a player who does something unacceptable, guess what? I don’t want to pay him. I really don’t. If he’s sitting in jail, I don’t think I have to pay him.” pic.twitter.com/3Ta39gFPtT https://t.co/swpP95IBM9
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 21, 2025
Meanwhile, Stewart has maintained that he’s standing his ground with the support of his teammates, as he told reporters last month. That backing has helped him clarify what he’s willing to negotiate and what he considers off limits, even as both sides remain far apart.
As this standoff continues, the pressure on the Bengals only grows.
EDITOR’S PICK: Shemar Stewart’s Contract Standoff With Bengals Predicted To Escalate As Cincinnati’s Rookies Report to Training Camp
Missing valuable practice and preparation time at this stage of the offseason puts the team at a disadvantage. Cincinnati had envisioned Stewart teaming up with Trey Hendrickson to form one of the league’s most dynamic pass-rush duos.
With both players absent, the Bengals’ defense — already ranked 28th by PFSN’s Defense+ metric — risks falling further behind if this situation drags into the regular season.
Cincinnati could be playing catch-up from Week 1, forced to scramble just to stay competitive in a tough AFC North. Bengals fans hope this saga ends soon so the team can finally focus on football.
