2025 NFL Draft: "Literally poverty franchise" - NFL fans react as Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart continues hold out over contract dispute

Shemar Stewart's contract holdout continues into another week. Selected at No. 17 this year, he was supposed to be Cincinnati’s next big defensive weapon. Instead, he’s making noise off the field by refusing to sign his rookie deal.

“I just decided not to sign those papers,” Stewart said on Friday. “I hate being on the sideline looking at everybody else do work.”

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Stewart hopes the issue will be resolved by Monday, but NFL fans are already torching the Bengals’ front office.

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“Literally poverty franchise holy smokes,” one fan wrote.

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“Mike Brown will never dodge the poverty allegations,” a fan said.

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"Bengals front office is just there for the vibes.” another fan wrote.

"He saw everyone signing $4M contracts and said hold up,” a fan commented.

"Classic Bengals tbh," one fan tweeted.

"He’s too mid for this," one fan wrote.

Stewart isn’t alone, as second-round pick Demetrius Knight Jr. is also holding out. With Trey Hendrickson still waiting on his payday, Cincinnati’s offseason looks more like a contract standoff than a playoff push.

Also read: 49ers insider drops 3-word message as Bengals top draft pick Shemar Stewart skips rookie camp drills amid contract holdup

Shemar Stewart's contract proving to be tough for Bengals

Shemar Stewart's contract standoff is already giving the Bengals a significant headache, and they haven’t even hit training camp. He was viewed as Trey Hendrickson’s potential replacement, bringing athleticism to a struggling Cincinnati defense. Instead, he’s reminding fans of the franchise’s notorious front office blunders.

The Texas A&M product is holding out of the rookie minicamp, and the Bengals are unhappy with contract language. Other unsigned rookies are suiting up but Stewart has no plans of donning the team's jersey until he signs on the dotted line.

Cincinnati took a swing on Stewart because of his physical upside. The 270-pounder ran a 4.6 40-yard dash but posted just 4.5 sacks across three college seasons. The Bengals need help on defense; however, Stewart's contract situation is delaying that.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez