{"id":87709,"date":"2025-08-16T17:35:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T17:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/87709\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T17:35:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T17:35:12","slug":"stephen-a-smith-calls-tee-higgins-recent-comments-one-of-the-most-ignorant-quotes-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/87709\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen A. Smith calls Tee Higgins\u2019 recent comments \u201cone of the most ignorant quotes of the year\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stephen A. Smith has never shied from criticizing the Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> as an organization.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also said, many times, that Zac Taylor and the team must start strong out of the gate for once.<\/p>\n

So when receiver Tee Higgins told Adam Schein in an interview otherwise, it set the ESPN analyst off.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t like the narrative of getting off to a hot start,\u201d Higgins said to the Mad Dog Sports Radio host<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Instead, the star player went on to say that he believes the team needs to take a more holistic approach to the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just feel like at the end of the day, we just got to execute as a team,\u201d Higgins went on to say. \u201cOffense has to complement the defense. Defense has to complement the offense. And special teams got to complement both.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you listen to the interview, it sounds like Higgins is saying he doesn\u2019t want the team to let fear of another slow start distract them. Rather, he seems to be saying, if everyone just focuses on their job, the results will come.<\/p>\n

But Smith didn\u2019t see it that way<\/a>. While he did compliment Higgins and express that he\u2019s glad the receiver \u201cgot his bag\u201d, the First Take analyst then switched gears, saying, \u201cBut that\u2019s one of the most ignorant quotes of the year. That\u2019s going to be a top 10 ignorant quote of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith then pointed out that the Bengals have started 0-2 in five of Taylor\u2019s six seasons as head coach, going 1-11 overall in Weeks 1 and 2 in the coach\u2019s career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have called for an investigation into Zac Taylor and his coaching staff as to what they\u2019re doing once the season is over, until mid-September, because they don\u2019t show up ready to play to start the season,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

And then Smith made it about Higgins, saying he was either \u201ccompletely lost\u201d or he \u201ccan\u2019t count\u201d. He then backtracked and acknowledged that the receiver can count, but finished by saying, \u201cThat was a foolish statement on his part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, if the Bengals do want to change that narrative, they will need the defense to do its part, as Higgins said.<\/p>\n

If their first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles was any indication, not much has changed, though rookie Shemar Stewart did show promise, as we discuss in the video below.<\/p>\n

You can also listen on iTunes<\/a> or by using the player below:<\/p>\n

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