McAfee had brought Hendrickson onto his show in order to give him a chance to respond to Blackburn’s quotes that came out of an interview with reporters at the annual owners’ meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday.
“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” Blackburn told reporters. “I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, you know, that’s what holds it up sometimes. So, it takes him to say yes to something, and also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He’s been a great player. We’re happy to have him. And so, maybe we’ll find a way to get something to work. We’re just gonna see where it goes.”
This is the third straight year Hendrickson is trying to get a long-term deal done. In 2023, he signed a one-year extension to his original contract, which now expires at the end of 2025. After outperforming his contract again, he sought a new deal last offseason and ended up asking for a trade. According to Hendrickson, he then was told an extension would be arranged this year if he played to the same level.
Hendrickson said his lines of communication are always open but the Bengals have only been in touch “here and there.”
“One thing I was hoping that was an April Fool’s joke was that article (with Blackburn’s comments),” Hendrickson said Wednesday. “But called my agent found out it was not, you know, and that was a little disappointing, because communication has been poor over the last couple months. That’s something that I hold in high regard. They have not communicated with my agent directly. It’s been something that’s been a little bit frustrating.”
Hendrickson raised his own value with a second straight season producing 17.5 sacks, leading the league in 2024, but it didn’t help the Bengals that the pass rusher market went up with other big contracts being awarded elsewhere. He said he’s not going to apologize for that because he’s been asking to be made a “Bengal for life” for three years now.
According to Spotrac, Hendrickson’s annual salary of $21 million for 2025 doesn’t even rank in the top 10 for his position. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Combine in February that Hendrickson deserved a raise.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“I don’t know if I can put a time stamp on it, and that’s where to read what I read yesterday was confusing, like it’s my decision,” Hendrickson said. “I would have been willing to sign three years ago, two years ago, and this year. It was communicated with me that we would get something done this year. And also, like it reiterated with Duke’s comments at the Combine.”
The Bengals permitted Hendrickson to seek a trade last month ahead of free agency but whatever interest there might have been hasn’t met the organization’s valuation. Hendrickson still prefers to stay in Cincinnati.
Hendrickson pointed out a lot of pass rushers that have gotten extensions done elsewhere also are 30 years old and it’s “a new era of players and taking care of your body that’ll go far into that.” He declined to share what has been offered and what he wants in a new contract but said there are some things he is willing to budge on and things he is not. He’s also not looking to be the highest paid or “first in line,” but hinted that he wants something done before OTAs because “those are the things that matter when you’re talking about a Super Bowl.”
“I don’t think I want to play for incentives that will be out of my control,” Hendrickson said. “I don’t think I want to play for a short-term contract and like, you know, see where it goes. I would like to tell my wife, here’s where we’re going to live. Here’s we’re going to build a family together…”
“I stay out of it with all the contract stuff and really, these things that get me to do these things, you know, I would prefer not to address these things with the media,” Hendrickson said. “But again, if I’m hearing from X or Twitter or whatever it’s called, on details on my contract that aren’t privy to me, or happiness that I’m not feeling under certain situations, it’s, you know, you can say respect, but you know, respect is something that I have for Zac Taylor, and I take that approach every day, being on time, communicating with him, and telling him that, yes, sir, I’m going to do the right things and all those things. And there’s a mutual respect. Just to say the word respect, and then actions are speaking a lot louder, in a different direction, it’s disappointing.”
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