Alright, buckle up, because this one’s got all the drama of a Sunday night game that goes into overtime with everyone screaming at the TV.
Let’s start with the headline story: the Cincinnati Bengals thought they had their big defensive weapon in Shemar Stewart, scooping him up with the 17th overall pick.
Fans cheered, analysts nodded, and the team looked ready to patch a big hole left by Sam Hubbard’s retirement and Trey Hendrickson’s very public contract drama. But now? Oh, now it feels like somebody tossed a smoke bomb into the draft room.
Because here’s the thing: Stewart isn’t exactly thrilled with how negotiations are going in Cincinnati. And just when that little nugget of tension started to simmer, photos and whispers started circulating — Stewart working out in College Station, back on the familiar turf of Texas A&M.
That set off a wildfire of speculation: Is he going back? Is he about to stiff-arm the NFL, run back through the tunnel, and suit up for the Aggies again?
Bud Elliot from 24/7 Sports even threw gasoline on the fire with his report: “Hey, Shemar might end up back here.” Oh, you could practically hear the talk shows light up with callers losing their minds. Fans asking, “Wait, is that even legal?” Agents probably pouring an extra drink.
But before Bengals Nation collapses into a puddle of anxiety, Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway came through with the equivalent of a fourth-quarter interception. She reported that Stewart simply “lives in Texas” and is just using A&M’s facilities — by himself, not with the team — which is a completely normal thing for players to do in the offseason. And as far as NCAA rules go? Once you’re in that draft and past the deadline, that college eligibility is toast. No returns, no do-overs.
Still, the bigger story here isn’t about a sneaky college comeback. It’s about the Bengals having not one but “two” defensive headaches right before camp.
Stewart’s holdout drama and Hendrickson’s high-dollar demands create a cloud over what should be a clean slate. Will they get Stewart locked in before preseason? Will Hendrickson get his deal sweetened, or will he show up grumpy?
Stay tuned, folks. Because in the NFL, nothing stays quiet for long — and right now, the Bengals’ pass rush is looking less like a well-oiled machine and more like a soap opera with shoulder pads.
