As the only Cincinnati Bengals player selected for the Pro Bowl, Ja’Marr Chase made history with his fifth consecutive nod. He is only the second player in franchise history to do so. While he certainly deserved the Pro Bowl honor, his focus remained on his teammates who were overlooked, especially wide receiver Tee Higgins.

“Why tee ain’t first team pro bowl,” Chase wrote on X.

His comment makes sense because Higgins may have fewer yards (720) and catches (49), but he had more touchdowns (10) than all of the selected names.

• For instance, Ravens’ Zay Flowers had 1,043 yards, 78 receptions, and 2 receiving TDs.
• Chase had 1,256 yards and 110 receptions with 5 receiving TDs.
• Nico Collins of the Texans had 1,060 yards, 68 receptions, and 6 TDs.
• Courtland Sutton of the Broncos had 972 yards, 69 receptions, and 7 TDs.

While Higgins has an AFC-high 10 touchdown receptions, it his clear that other production numbers fell short. He also missed two games, which impacted his overall numbers. Plus, his 55.4 yards per don’t put him close to the conference’s top performers.

In the end, he didn’t make the cut. However, Higgins was voted as a second alternate, along with cornerback DJ Turner II, who was a third alternate, and wide receiver Charlie Jones (kick return specialist) was a fifth alternate.

The Bengals’ quarterback, whose name Chase missed, will also not be appearing at the 2026 Pro Bowl. Many believe Joe Burrow deserved the Pro Bowl nod, given that he had a good rhythm. That was before a Grade 3 turf toe injury took him down in Week 2. It required him to undergo surgery, which is why his stats were limited to 1,268 yards, 12 TDs, and 4 interceptions.

Now that he has recovered, he is back in full swing. Week 16 saw the reflection of old Burrow, going 25-of-32 pass attempts for 309 yards and four touchdowns. Of course, it was a 45-21 victory over the Dolphins.

Regardless, Burrow and Higgins weren’t the only names to suffer the tragic fate of Pro Bowl snubbing.

Lamar Jackson of the Ravens, Patrick Mahomes (second in a row) of the Chiefs, and Jared Goff of the Lions were also snubbed.

Those who did make it from the AFC were Josh Allen of the Bills, Drake Maye of the Patriots, and Justin Herbert of the Chargers. But for the Bengals, the biggest headline isn’t about who missed the Pro Bowl; it’s the sudden, confusing rift in the long-standing bond between Chase and Burrow. Is there something going on?

Ja’Marr Chase surprised by Joe Burrow’s remarks

There is nothing that indicates any kind of tension between Chase and Burrow. However, a moment caught everyone’s attention.

Earlier this month, the Bengals quarterback made a surprising remark that he isn’t having fun playing gridiron at the moment.

“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” Burrow said. “I’ve been through a lot, and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.”

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These words felt particularly odd to Chase, who didn’t hide his reaction.

“I thought this was an AI. Sid this really happen, though?” Chase asked. “From what I see, he seems the same every day. Comes to work, ready to play. Comes to practice, the same guy. He helps me every day. No negativity in the building from him.”

The whole thread felt odd, given the two have been playing together for seven years (five in Cincinnati and two at LSU, where they won the national championship). One would assume that Chase knows Burrow better than many; his “huh” reaction upon realizing that Burrow himself admitted not having fun made many question their bond.

It is possible that the quarterback’s thoughts were misconstrued. After all, it couldn’t have been fun rehabbing injuries like he had to do recently.