Trey Hendrickson’s tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals is over.
As expected, the Bengals elected not to franchise tag Hendrickson before the March 3 4 p.m. ET deadline to do so. The edge rusher will now enter free agency.
Hendrickson’s farewell to Cincinnati came shortly after the franchise tag deadline.
“Thank you for the opportunity to play the game I love at the highest level. The last 5 years have been filled with great wins and Tough losses. Personal achievements & humbling adversities,” Hendrickson wrote on social media. “I was & always will be proud to have worn the Cincinnati Bengals logo & honor the history behind it.”
Hendrickson went on to personally thank his Bengals teammates, Bengals coaches, staff members and Cincinnati fans in a lengthy Instagram post.
Hendrickson’s farewell letter marks the end of a chapter that was anticipated to end in a divorce.
Hendrickson and the Bengals went through a multi-year contract standoff that included two trade requests. Hendrickson hoped for a long-term contract but the Bengals never obliged.
The Bengals edge rusher requested a trade in April of 2024. The following year, Hendrickson asked for a trade again and had an impromptu press conference before the 2025 season in which he stated his unwillingness to play for the Bengals on his current contract. The Bengals eventually gave Hendrickson a raise for the year.
Hendrickson’s final season in Cincinnati was slowed by injury. He only played in seven games. The Bengals placed Hendrickson on injured reserve due to hip and pelvis injuries in December.
Hendrickson was a prized acquisition for the Bengals during the 2021 free agency period. He was named to four Pro Bowl teams and tallied 17.5 sacks in back-to-back season from 2023-2024.
Hendrickson was originally a 2017 third round pick by the New Orleans Saints. The 31-year-old has collected 81 career sacks in nine seasons.
The edge rusher now enters free agency as one of the top players available.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.