Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson bade farewell to the city after he became a free agent.
The Bengals did not place the franchise tag on Hendrickson before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline, which means he will become a free agent when the new league year begins next week. The move ends a two-year-long drama of uncertainty in which Hendrickson sought a long-term deal, including trade talks, a holdout, and a pay raise last season.
“To the organization: Thank you for the opportunity to play the game I love at the highest level,” he wrote in a post on Instagram. “The last 5 years have been filled with Great wins & Tough losses. Personal achievements & humbling adversities. I was & always will be proud to have worn the Cincinnati Bengals logo & honor the history behind it.”
Hendrickson was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. After three unremarkable seasons, he broke out as a true pass rusher with the Saints in 2020, amassing 25 tackles, 13.5 sacks, one pass defense, and a forced fumble.
In 2021, he signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Bengals in the 2021 offseason. He racked up 14 sacks in his first year with the Bengals, along with 34 total tackles and 3 forced fumbles. He had a down year in 2022 with only 8 sacks, but came back in a big way in 2023 and 2024. He had 17.5 sacks in each of those seasons and was the league leader in sacks in 2024. He also had career highs in other numbers that year: He racked up 46 tackles and 6 passes defended. He also had two forced fumbles.
In March, Hendrickson was granted permission to seek a trade. No such deal materialized, and Hendrickson staged a holdout of training camp, which downgraded to a hold-in after a week. Eventually, the two sides agreed on a one-year deal that raised his pay to $29 million for the 2025 season.
Hendrickson played in just seven games in 2025 before a hip/pelvis injury derailed his season and landed him on injured reserve. He had 16 tackles, 4 sacks, a pass defense, and a forced fumble.
“To my Teammates: Thank you for helping me become the player I always dreamed of becoming,” Hendrickson wrote. “The constant push to be the best was infectious from players that made up our rosters over the years. It’s been an incredibly humbling experience to be surrounded by such great people who believed in me in some of the biggest moments. I’ve been so blessed by friendships I’ve made over the years. I know those relationships will continue long after football.
“To my Coaches: Thank you for seeing the potential in me. Helping me develop my skills & to get me out of my comfort zone as I improved as a player. To the coaches that helped me off the field. I will forever hold the wisdom & knowledge they’ve shared as I navigated what it takes to play in the National Football League while also staying true to myself. The years of mentorship was priceless.”
He also shared a message of gratitude to the fans.
“Thank you for supporting me in the relentless pursuit of winning,” he wrote. “You’ve made the Jungle Roar when I hunted QB after QB! Memories of those moments will live in my heart & mind forever. The hard work this city puts in and its support for our Bengals made it easy to empty the tank for this fanbase! I could not be more proud of the high standards we have for our city & football team. Cincinnati is Home. Now & Forever. God has blessed me with the abilities I was able to showcase here. To God be the Glory! Thank you for sharing the love, support & memories.”
