Trey Hendrickson, a defensive cornerstone for the Cincinnati Bengals, opened up to reporters on Tuesday, May 13, about the intensifying contract dispute between him and the organization. Speaking after skipping the team’s latest voluntary workout at Paycor Stadium, Hendrickson revealed growing frustration, calling the situation personal and saying it isn’t helping the team.
Trey Hendrickson Blasts Bengals Over Contract Dispute
Hendrickson made it clear he has no intention of playing the 2025 NFL season for $16 million in cash, pointing to the broader pay scale for edge rushers around the league.
Trey Hendrickson today to reporters: “If I sat here with four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back. … I’m not going to apologize for the rates being paid to defensive ends in the National Football League."
Hendrickson admitted that things have gotten personal… https://t.co/Nff3PKl3eJ pic.twitter.com/kllaq6ncED
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate)
“If I sat here with four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back,” he said. “I’m not going to apologize for the rates being paid to defensive ends in the National Football League.”
Despite the mounting tension, Hendrickson expressed a desire to remain in Cincinnati. “I am disappointed. I definitely love Cincinnati, so it’s just this weird dilemma, right?” he said.
“And I think players go through it a lot more often. I’m just not going to let fear overtake me and also give me a platform [to] glorify God in the good and in the bad. So, now I’m very blessed. So the perspectives I can’t control. I’m a football player and I’m itching to play football.”
When asked about his change in stance, Hendrickson said it was not premeditated.
“This was something that happened very quickly,” he said. “Same thing with the trade, same thing with the comments. These aren’t something that I meditated on. It’s something that I talked to my wife about. We prayed about it, and we address these things as Hendricksons.”
However, the lack of communication from the Bengals’ front office has only added to his frustration. Hendrickson told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the organization has not approached him for negotiations since the 2025 NFL Draft concluded in April.
Hendrickson: This isn’t benefiting the team. I’m ok saying that. It’s a weird dilemma.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__)
“This isn’t benefiting the team. I’m OK saying that. It’s a weird dilemma,” Hendrickson said. “It’s become personal, unfortunately.”
The Bengals’ next mandatory team event is the minicamp scheduled for June 10 to 12. Hendrickson said head coach Zac Taylor warned him of fines if he fails to participate.
“The fines that were communicated with me were talking about mandatory minicamp,” he said. “That’s why I said there’s about 20 days until then. I didn’t understand the purpose behind [Zac Taylor] shooting me a text. We should have gone 25 days, but again, we can go through the process. I probably would have been upset a day before, an hour before, or 60 days ago.”
Hendrickson isn’t holding a grudge against Taylor, but it’s clear the situation has reached a boiling point.