The franchise tag has been a subject of debate in the NFL for years, with some calling it unfair and unethical. Still, with the Cincinnati Bengals placing the franchise tag on Tee Higgins for a second time, some notable voices are speaking their minds.
One such well-regarded voice, a former NFL player, has called the move “incredibly un-American,” expressing his dissatisfaction with the Bengals’ attempt to retain Higgins.
Bengals Franchise Tag Tee Higgins For Second Straight Year
PFSN reported the move on Monday: “League sources have confirmed that the Cincinnati Bengals plan to give wide receiver Tee Higgins the non-exclusive franchise tag for a second straight season. According to James Rapien, host of Locked on Bengals, the Bengals plan to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on the star wide receiver when the tag window officially opens on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. ET.”
“Higgins has put together a solid career since joining the Bengals in 2020. Over the last five years, he has 4,595 receiving yards, which ranks 18th in that time. While his 65.6 yards per game only rank 26th, he has effectively played four of those seasons as the No. 2 option to Ja’Marr Chase.”
Although the Bengals want to keep Higgins, it’s unclear whether those feelings are reciprocated, and some say that choice is being taken away from Higgins. Today, former offensive lineman Ross Tucker spoke on the Ross Tucker Podcast, making his feelings on the subject well-known. “I despise the franchise tag, especially this idea that the Bengals would franchise tag Tee Higgins for a second time. I hate everything about it…”
“I despise the franchise tag… I hate everything about it. To me, it's incredibly un-American.”@RossTuckerNFL explains:@LabattUSA #ad MSG 21+ pic.twitter.com/bJulyjwSD8
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) February 19, 2025
Tucker goes on to call the application of the tag, specifically for a second time, “un-American,” and many people agree. Of course, this also involves exploring how the franchise tag works.
How Does the Franchise Tag Work?
By deploying the franchise tag, teams buy themselves an extra year of service time from whichever player they choose as their franchise player. The franchise tender is often used when a club cannot finalize a long-term contract extension with a player it hopes to retain.
Once a team applies the franchise tag, that player is under contract for another season. As soon as the player signs the franchise tag contract, the salary attributed to the tag is guaranteed and cannot be rescinded unless a long-term contract is agreed upon.
However, the player does not have to sign the franchise tag, but it does not mean they can negotiate with other teams.
Once a franchise tag has been applied, a team has until a deadline in the middle of July to negotiate a long-term deal. Once that deadline has passed, no further negotiations can occur until the following offseason.
Ultimately, it’s easy to understand why the Bengals would want to franchise tag Higgins and why many might find it unethical. For now, however, it seems as though Higgins is staying in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future.