Trey Hendrickson isn’t giving anyone a peek into his head when it comes to facing his old team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Even with an exit from Cincinnati that was, let’s just say, “acrimonious due to contract squabbles,” the linebacker is straight-up telling reporters he isn’t drawing any “extra motivation” from the matchup. He told folks Thursday, “We’re a team. This isn’t an individual sport. It’s about the team and what I can bring and what they can bring, and what we can collectively do as a unit. I think that’s what makes football special, and I’m looking forward to it Sunday.” Talk about keeping it close to the vest!
The Acrimonious Past vs. The Team-First Talk
Look, we all know the deal. Hendrickson spent five seasons tearing it up in Cincinnati, and then things got messy. His move to the Ravens was apparently not, as he stated back in March, because he wanted to face the Bengals twice a year. It’s pretty clear he wants to keep the focus strictly on the gridiron and not the drama. But come on, this is the guy’s first time really squaring off against the team where he became a household name, especially after how it all went down. It’s hard to ignore that backstory, even if he’s doing his best to preach the team-first gospel ahead of Sunday’s clash.
Back From Injury and Still Bringing the Heat
The Ravens are definitely glad to have Hendrickson back in the lineup. He just returned last weekend after sitting out two games dealing with a finger injury, and what does he do? Pops right back in and snags his second sack of the season! That’s 83 career sacks now, folks. The man is a consistent force. And with Sunday looming, you know there’s one specific sack that would put a massive smile on his face, no matter how much he talks team. Getting his first-ever sack of Joe Burrow would be a serious boost to the Ravens’ mission to take down their divisional rivals.
So, all eyes on Sunday. The Ravens are looking to beat their divisional rivals, and Hendrickson is a key part of that. Will the “team” mentality hold, or will a certain rival quarterback be wearing a little extra dirt by the end of the game? We’ll find out when the Ravens and Bengals kick off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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