Cincinnati Bengals Brass Lauds Joe Mixon’s Professionalism in Contract Restructure

While Cincinnati Bengals owner and president Mike Brown and director of player personnel Duke Tobin deflected all questions regarding Joe Burrow’s contract talks during Monday’s pre-camp luncheon, they had plenty to say about the restructuring of running back Joe Mixon’s salary.

Cincinnati Bengals Praise Joe Mixon for Contract Restructure

The July 14 transaction was the culmination of an ultimatum for Mixon to either take a pay cut or a job cut. Mixon, who turned 24 today and is coming off one of his least productive seasons and a turbulent offseason in the legal system, agreed to reduce his salary in order to help the team in its pursuit of extensions for Burrow, wide receiver Tee Higgins, and linebacker Logan Wilson.

“We thought if we had a little more room, that would help us with other situations, and Joe understood that, and he handled himself well,” Brown said. “I like Joe. I think he’s a good player. He’s been here and been an important player for a long time. And we asked him to step up and help us with the overall situation we have, and he did.”

Mixon signed a four-year, $48 million extension in July 2020, and under the parameters of that deal, he would have been due $10.1 million this year and $10.4 million in 2024. The new agreement has him due $5.75 million in 2023, with $4.1 million of it guaranteed, and $5.75 million in 2024.

“Joe was real professional about that,” Tobin added. “We appreciated that. I think he understood where the team was, and we found something that was acceptable to both. We’re glad it’s behind us.”

The guaranteed money reduces, if not eliminates, the chance the Bengals cut him prior to the start of the season and leave him wandering the barren landscape the NFL running back market has become.

Mixon, who was cleared in a March incident at his house in which an acquaintance shot a 16-year-old running through the neighborhood playing Nerf wars, still faces a hearing next month for an aggravated menacing charge in which he is accused of waving a gun at another motorist the day the Bengals flew to Buffalo for a playoff game.

Brown did not rule out further discipline pending the outcome of that case, but he declined to go into specifics.

“We’ll see what comes of it,” Brown said. “I just am going to wait to comment on after the fact, not before the fact.”

Mixon rushed for 814 yards last year, which, outside of 2020 — when he missed 10 games with a foot injury — was his lowest total since his rookie season in 2017. His 60 catches and 441 receiving yards, however, were career-highs.

The Bengals drafted running back Chase Brown out of Illinois in the fifth round, and he is expected to compete for playing time with Mixon. But head coach Zac Taylor made it clear that his plan is for Mixon to continue to be a big part of the offense.

“He’s always been a great presence, voted team captain, always been a reliable guy for myself, the coaches,” Taylor said. “His energy’s been greatly appreciated over the years. He’s always been such a team guy for us, and that’s been appreciated. I think he appreciates this place. We appreciate him, and it’s been a great relationship that way.”