Why Bengals’ Tee Higgins kept returning to Bills game despite repeated hits to head

Tee Higgins walked out of Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills resolute, even after taking multiple jarring hits to the head during the Cincinnati Bengals’ 39-34 defeat on a snow-covered Sunday.

The star wideout delivered one of his strongest outings of the season with six receptions, 92 yards, and two touchdowns. Yet his relentless return to the field despite repeated hard falls quickly became the storyline of the game.

After the loss, when asked directly whether he ever considered shutting it down for the rest of the game, Higgins explained the mindset behind those decisions. Speaking to reporters, he talked about his identity as someone who prioritizes the collective over personal risk.

“Didn’t think about it at all. I’m a team-first guy,” Higgins said, via Ben Baby of ESPN. “My team needed me, and I felt like they did, so I went out there and played. Tried to dog this out with my team.”

Bengals WR Tee Higgins on why he played through some hard falls on Sunday, especially given his recent concussions: “I’m a team-first guy.” pic.twitter.com/rq44ScnVCD

— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) December 8, 2025

The concern was understandable, as Higgins had just returned from a Week 12 concussion, barely clearing protocol late in the week. His availability wasn’t guaranteed, and the way the matchup unfolded only amplified those worries.

Late in the second quarter, Higgins’ helmet bounced off the frozen Buffalo turf, forcing him out for the remainder of the drive. A similar fall occurred right before halftime, leaving him in the locker room as the second half kicked off. Even after more violent spills and multiple visits to the medical tent, he kept checking back into the game.

Tee Higgins was the poster child for the pressure to not be diagnosed with 2 #concussions in a row.
1st game back from a concussion, his head clearly hurts here, but everyone is under pressure to pretend he's fine, so no erring on the side of caution.pic.twitter.com/NiP45ZeO7v

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) December 7, 2025

He also expanded on that philosophy, describing the physical toll as an unavoidable part of his role and emphasizing his desire to keep answering the bell.

“I’m a soldier,” Higgins told reporters. “I mean, soldiers take hits. It happens. It’s football. It’s the name of the game. You got to get up next play mentality.”

The Bengals rarely lose when Higgins scores twice, but the Week 14 collapse dropped them to 4-9 and left their postseason hopes hanging by a thread.

Cincinnati is inching toward evaluation mode, yet the dysfunction across the AFC North means there’s still a slim, improbable path if they find a spark, and that starts next week against the Baltimore Ravens, a game the Bengals simply cannot afford to drop if they want to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

The post Why Bengals’ Tee Higgins kept returning to Bills game despite repeated hits to head appeared first on ClutchPoints.