Tee Higgins Bio
Tamaurice William “Tee” Higgins is an American professional football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Born on January 18, 1999, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, he has become one of the Bengals’ most reliable offensive weapons since entering the league in 2020. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 220 pounds, Higgins combines size, length, and reliable hands to win contested catches against defensive backs.
Higgins first gained national attention as a sophomore at Clemson University, where he helped the Tigers win the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018. The Bengals selected him with the 33rd overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the first selection of the second round, and he has since developed into a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver and a key part of Cincinnati’s passing attack alongside quarterback Joe Burrow.
Early Life and Background
Tamaurice William Higgins was born on January 18, 1999, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He grew up in the same community he would later represent on the football field, attending Oak Ridge High School, where he developed into one of the most sought-after high school football recruits in the country. His combination of height, athleticism, and ball skills made him a five-star recruit and one of the top wide receiver prospects in his class.
As a senior at Oak Ridge, Higgins posted 68 receptions for 1,044 yards and 18 touchdowns, drawing attention from major college football programs across the country. He originally committed to the University of Tennessee before flipping his commitment to Clemson University, a decision that would shape his path toward a national championship. In addition to football, Higgins also played basketball in high school and received scholarship offers to play college basketball, underscoring his overall athletic profile.
Path to American Football
Higgins’s path to professional football began long before he reached the NFL. As a highly ranked recruit, he used his senior season at Oak Ridge High School to showcase the size, route-running, and catch radius that would later translate to the professional level. His decision to change his commitment from Tennessee to Clemson was a turning point, giving him the chance to compete in one of the most competitive programs in college football.
At Clemson, Higgins immediately contributed as a freshman in 2017, playing in 13 games and recording 17 receptions for 345 yards and two touchdowns. By his sophomore season in 2018, he had earned a starting role and was a key piece of the Tigers’ championship run, setting the stage for his eventual transition to the NFL as one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2020 draft class.
Tee Higgins Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Higgins in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 33rd overall pick, the first selection of the round. He signed his rookie contract on July 28, 2020, a four-year deal worth $8.6 million, and made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. His first three receptions came in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, and he scored his first two professional touchdowns in Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 23–23 tie.
Higgins finished his rookie season with 67 receptions for 908 yards and six receiving touchdowns, tying Cris Collinsworth’s 1981 Bengals rookie record for catches. The following season, in 2021, Higgins elevated his game, finishing with 74 receptions for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. He played a key role in the Bengals’ run to Super Bowl LVI, recording 7 receptions for 96 yards in the Divisional Round win over the Tennessee Titans and 6 catches for 103 yards in the AFC Championship victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Super Bowl LVI Breakthrough (2021–2022)
In Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams, Higgins delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career, finishing with 4 receptions for 100 yards, the most receiving yards by any player in the game. He scored the Bengals’ first touchdown of the contest on a 6-yard pass from Joe Mixon and added a 75-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the second half, giving Cincinnati a brief lead. Although the Bengals ultimately fell 23–20, Higgins’s performance established him as a clutch performer on the league’s biggest stage.
Cincinnati Bengals Era (2023–Present)
The 2022 season was another strong year for Higgins, who finished with 74 receptions for 1,029 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also deeply affected by the frightening on-field collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin after a collision in Week 17, an incident Higgins later described as emotionally difficult. Higgins stayed in close contact with Hamlin and his family throughout the recovery, and the two players have since developed a friendship.
Higgins switched his jersey number from No. 85 to No. 5, his old college number, beginning with the 2023 season. That year was hampered by a rib injury in Week 4 and a hamstring injury that caused him to miss several games, and he finished with career lows of 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns. In 2024, the Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins, and he re-signed on a one-year contract in June before battling another hamstring injury early in the season.
In 2025, the Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins for a second straight year before he signed a four-year, $115 million contract extension in March. He responded with 59 receptions for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns while earning his first career Pro Bowl selection. Through the 2025 season, Higgins has accumulated 389 career receptions for 5,441 receiving yards and 45 receiving touchdowns, cementing his place among the Bengals’ all-time leading receivers.
Driving Style and Strengths
Higgins is known for his ability to win on the outside and in the red zone, using his 6-foot-4 frame to outjump defenders and secure contested catches. His size makes him a natural downfield threat, while his route-running and body control allow him to create separation against press coverage. Paired with quarterback Joe Burrow, Higgins has developed into a reliable chain-mover who can also stretch the field vertically.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Higgins’s career highlights are his two-touchdown performance in Super Bowl LVI, his 12-reception, 194-yard game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16 of 2021, and his first career Pro Bowl selection in 2025. His connection with Damar Hamlin following the 2022 on-field incident is also widely regarded as a defining off-the-field moment, demonstrating his character and compassion during a crisis.
Tee Higgins Career Wins
While individual receiving statistics are the standard measure of a wide receiver’s success, Higgins has consistently posted strong numbers across his first six NFL seasons, surpassing 900 receiving yards in three of his first four years.
NFL Highlights
Higgins’s most notable NFL moments include his 100-yard, two-touchdown performance in Super Bowl LVI, his 12-reception, 194-yard, two-touchdown outing against the Ravens in 2021, and his franchise-tagged 2025 campaign that produced 11 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod. He has also recorded multiple games of more than 140 receiving yards, including a 148-yard effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022.
Other Performances
At the college level, Higgins’s most memorable performance came in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, where he had three receptions for 81 yards in Clemson’s 44–16 victory over Alabama. In the 2019 national championship game against LSU, he added a 36-yard rushing touchdown and caught 3 passes for 52 yards, capping a junior season in which he posted 1,167 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
Tee Higgins Family
Personal Life
Higgins was born and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he attended Oak Ridge High School and starred in both football and basketball. His given name, Tamaurice, is the basis for the nickname “Tee” that has followed him throughout his athletic career. He has used his platform to support charitable causes, including a charity associated with the Damar Hamlin incident in 2022 that received an outpouring of public support in the days following the on-field emergency.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a new chapter in Higgins’s career, beginning with the Bengals placing the franchise tag on him for a second consecutive year in March. Two weeks later, he signed a four-year, $115 million contract extension, securing his long-term future in Cincinnati and establishing him as one of the league’s highest-paid wide receivers.
On the field, Higgins remained productive despite injuries that have occasionally interrupted his seasons, finishing 2025 with 59 receptions for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns. His touchdown total ranked among the team leaders, and his play alongside Ja’Marr Chase helped power one of the NFL’s most explosive passing offenses. He was rewarded for his season with his first career Pro Bowl selection, further validating his status as a top-tier receiver.
Heading into the next phase of his contract, Higgins remains a central figure in the Bengals’ offensive plans. With Joe Burrow healthy and the team’s receiver duo intact, Higgins is positioned to continue producing at an elite level while chasing the franchise’s receiving records and another deep postseason run.
