"I don’t want to pay him": Bengals owner Mike Browns gets brutally honest over Shemar Stewart contract situation

Cincinnati Bengals OTA Offseason Workout - Source: Getty
Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown is fed up with Shemar Stewart's situation - Source: Getty

The Cincinnati Bengals will start their training camp on Wednesday, but there's no clarity on whether first-round rookie Shemar Stewart will be present. He's in an impasse with the franchise over his contract, as his agent and Duke Tobin argue about the guarantees involved.

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On Monday, there was a twist to the tale. Bengals owner Mike Brown, who doesn't enjoy much fan support, took center stage to explain the developments in Stewart's negotiations. Brown looked unhappy with the player and called the developments "a form of foolishness".

Brown revealed that the hold-up is regarding the language involved in possible situations in which Stewart is involved in problems. The agent wants to make sure that the guarantees remain active, while the Bengals are trying to negotiate a deal in which those guarantees are voided.

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However, the Bengals owner was honest about how he sees the situation. If the defender does something so bad that he ends up going to jail and is unable to play, Brown doesn't want to pay him, telling reporters on Monday:

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“A very peculiar thing. It’s not about money. It’s about the guarantee in the case of if he were to do something contrary to the discipline levels of the league. I don’t think that’s going to happen ever. That’s what’s holding it up. It’s never happened as long as I can remember.
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"His agent wants it to be if he acted in a terrible fashion — this is all hypothetical — something that rises to the level of going to prison, we’d be on the line for the guarantee. If we get a player who does something unacceptable, guess what? I don’t want to pay him. I really don’t. If he’s sitting in jail, I don’t think I have to pay him.”
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Mike Brown says Bengals' deal with Trey Hendrickson will get done

In another EDGE situation for the franchise, there was a shift in the organization's tone when speaking about Trey Hendrickson. Brown said he thinks that a deal with Hendrickson will get done:

"We're working to get Trey signed as we speak here," Brown said. "There are guys over in the office working to get that done. I think it'll get done."

Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, is in the final year of his deal with the franchise. He's set to earn $21 million in 2025 but wants a pay raise.

Bengals Nation! Check out the latest Cincinnati Bengals Schedule and dive into the Bengals Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Bhargav
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