Trey Hendrickson Disappointed By Bengals’ Remarks On Contract

Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is disappointed with the organization’s comments about his contract situation.

Bengals Brass Comment on Trey Hendrickson

#Bengals EVP Katie Blackburn offered the latest update on where things stand with Trey Hendrickson as he seeks a new deal: https://t.co/nwVshB3ve6

— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) April 2, 2025

On Tuesday, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn spoke about Hendrickson and how the team plans to handle his contract dispute.

“As you’re trying (to put) all these pieces together, you have certain limitations eventually,” Blackburn said via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “So he seemed to feel strongly about it, and thought the strength of interest out there was going to be at a certain level. And so, we said that it would be OK to at least explore, and so we don’t do that all the time, but in this case, we felt like it was the right thing to do, case-by-case basis every time. And he’s still a Bengal, so we’ll see. It’s just something that we’ll keep working through.”

The Bengals have stated they want to keep Hendrickson. However, the club also gave the NFL sack leader from a season ago permission to seek a trade.

So far, nothing has happened. Hendrickson, 31, is entering the final year of his contract. At $21 million, Hendrickson is the 10th highest-paid pass rusher in the NFL.

Blackburn stated that the Begnals have made Hendrickson an offer. It’s now up to him to sign it.

“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” Blackburn said. “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, you know, 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.”

Trey Hendrickson Reacts To Katie Blackburn’s Comments

"Those comments from Katie Blackburn were definitely disappointing & communication has been poor over the last couple of months..

It's been a little bit frustrating & if they have anything they'd like to discuss we're definitely willing to listen" ~ Trey Hendrickson #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/C9PUdfKewj

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 2, 2025

Hendrickson appeared on Wednesday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show and spoke about the “disappointing” comments.

“First off, yesterday was April Fools’ [Day] so I was traded to all 31 teams and had like a hundred different contracts,” Hendrickson said. “The one thing I was hoping was an April Fools’ joke. Called my agent, found out it was not, and that was a little disappointing because the communication has been poor over the last couple of months.”

Hendrickson said it’s been “frustrating” to watch the Bengals communicate about his contract through the media.

Hendrickson said that his agent, Harold Lewis, told him that a long-term contract would get done this offseason. That message was reiterated at the NFL Combine, which is why the Blackburn’s “confusing” comments baffled the edge rusher.

“That’s where to read what I read yesterday was confusing, like it’s my decision. I would have been willing to sign three years ago, two years ago and this year,” Hendrickson explained. “It was communicated to me we would get something done this year and reiterated with comments at the combine. I treat it like a house now; house value has gone up, it’s the cost of living. In some ways life continues to go forward. I know I’m a football player. I’m training to be the best Trey Hendrickson I can be, and however that looks, whatever team, we can address that.”

Hendrickson is coming off the best season of his career. He led the NFL in sacks and made first-team All-Pro for the first time in his career.