On Sunday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bengals took a brutal loss on the road to the Buffalo Bills, effectively ending their chances of a miraculous playoff berth in the process. The Bengals controlled this game for most of the way, but two fourth quarter interceptions from Joe Burrow, one of which was returned for a touchdown, ultimately spelled their downfall.
On Monday, the team got a rough injury update on star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, their best defensive player.
“Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is set to undergo core muscle surgery this week that is expected to sideline him approximately six weeks, per sources,” reported NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter. “Hendrickson initially suffered the injury during week 6 against Green Bay, and pushed to play two weeks later against the Jets. This injury has not improved with advised rest and team rehab, and now will need to be addressed.”
Hendrickson was the main story of the offseason for the Bengals, with the two teams embroiled in contract disputes that ultimately ended with the star staying on board with Cincinnati for only the 2025 season.
It remains to be seen how this latest injury update may impact his value moving forward, but it comes at a time when the Bengals' season is essentially over, at least in regards to potentially making a push to the playoffs.
In any case, the Bengals will next take the field on Sunday at home against the Baltimore Ravens, in a rematch of the Thanksgiving matchup between the two teams.
