Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins was carted off the field in Week 12 after slamming his head on the ground while trying to make a catch in a tight loss to the New England Patriots. He was quickly ruled out for the rest of the contest due to a concussion.

The play occurred with under five minutes to play in the contest. With the Bengals trailing the Patriots 23-13, Joe Flacco tried to find Higgins deep down the sideline. The throw was high, causing Higgins to throw one hand in the air. Patriots defensive back Carlton Davis III ran into Higgins at that point, sending both men to the ground. As Higgins went down, he smacked his head on the turf.

He immediately laid motionless on the ground.

TEE HIGGINS INJURED ON THIS PLAY. pic.twitter.com/N9yiKHbXkv

— Aggregate Sports (@AggregateSports) November 23, 2025

After spending quite some time on the ground, Higgins was eventually helped up and placed on a cart before being driven off the field. He walked into the locker room under his own power when he arrived.

Tee Higgins goes into the Bengals locker room after being carted off. His head hit HARD on the turf while trying to catch a deep pass from Joe Flacco. pic.twitter.com/HTb4k8MUyj

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) November 23, 2025

With Ja’Marr Chase suspended, Higgins was expected to play a bigger role than normal for the Bengals in Week 12. It was a tough matchup, as he was set to see Patriots standout Christian Gonzalez for the majority of the game. Higgins hauled in five catches for 31 yards before leaving the contest.

Following the injury, the Bengals managed to score a touchdown, cutting the lead to three. The Patriots responded with a field goal late, making it 26-20.

That gave Flacco and the Bengals a chance for some last-minute magic. Flacco drove the Bengals down the field with time running out, but had a fourth-and-10 throw knocked away with just 18 seconds remaining.

The Patriots regained possession after the play, took a knee and won the contest.

With Chase back in Week 13, the focus will now fall on Higgins. Given how the play looked in real time, and Higgins’ reaction, it could take the wideout at least a week before he’s ready to take the field again.

If he needs to miss a game, it would be a significant absence. The Bengals take on the division rival Baltimore Ravens on the final game of a Thanksgiving Day tripleheader.