Tee Higgins has never just played for himself. He plays for his mother, Camilla Stewart, the woman who fought her way back from addiction, survived being shot twice, and never stopped believing in him. Her dream was simple: to see her son play in a Super Bowl. In 2022, Higgins made that happen. Now, with a massive new contract and unfinished business in Cincinnati, he’s determined to take it one step further—winning it all.
After weeks of delays, the Bengals finally locked in on Higgins. However, many fans do not know the journey taken for this contract. This contract was a big deal for the WR, and when once it was locked in, all fans could talk about was Higgins’ mother, Camilla Stewart. She was formerly a substance addict, but with time, she fought her addiction and overcame it. Watching his mother do this ignited a fire in the heart of Higgins to achieve his mother’s dream.
Higgins played the biggest game of his career on February 13, 2022, against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI (56). And before the start of the game, the man received one of the most emotional notes from his mother.
INSPIRATION: Tee Higgins’s journey to becoming an #NFL star is special, he plays every game for his mom.
“I’ve always dreamed and wanted to go to the Super Bowl. My dream has finally come true – watching my son play in the SB”
He now signed a historic deal.pic.twitter.com/mYyGJtTekD
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 17, 2025
Camilla recorded an audio in which she said a lot of beautiful motivational things. She explained how overjoyed she was that Tee Higgins is in the SB, “I’ve always dreamed and wanted to go to the Super Bowl. My dream has finally come true – watching my son play in the SB.” This is truly the best motivation a player can have. After what happened when the WR was only six years old, he made certain that her mother never had any trouble in life.
In 2005, Camilla Stewart survived being shot twice in the head by a man she was involved with—who was also her substance dealer. That moment became a turning point in her life. She not only recovered but also fought to overcome her addiction, transforming her future. Her strength and resilience became a powerful source of inspiration for Tee Higgins, shaping the drive and determination he carries on the field today.
And you know what they say, “If your mother believes in you, nothing in the world can stop you.” And guess what? This is exactly what happened in the SB LVI. Tee Higgins was literally in God Mode that day. He played an important role for his squad, gaining 100 yards on four catches and two touchdown grabs. The WR was truly unstoppable, as he even caught a 75-yard pass that kept the Bengals in the lead for a long time in the game. But unfortunately, luck never favored the WR. Despite his best efforts, the Bengals lost the game by a few inches. And in the end, the Rams stood tall with the score of 23-20.
Every Cincinnati fan was heartbroken at the time, but there is still hope that the team will win its first Big Game soon. After all, Tee Higgins will surely be with the team for the next few seasons.
Tee Higgins can still win the Super Bowl with the Bengals
This year, the number 5’s future was the most uncertain. The Bengals were completely unsure what they were going to do with the WR, so they put their franchise tag on him. This meant that Higgins would be with them for at least the 2025 season, and maybe next year, they could offer him a good contract. However, despite using the franchise tag, the Bengals did not want to take the risk. Thus, they offered Higgins a contract extension of $115 million for four years. This was exactly what everyone expected from the team, as the WR is worth this type of money.
Now that Higgins has fulfilled his mother’s ambition of playing in the Super Bowl, he can achieve even more by winning one. The WR has stated multiple times that he plays the game solely to keep his mother happy. In one of the media appearances, he even stated, “My mom is my hero. She’s been through so much, and she’s the strongest person I know.”
In 2024, Tee ran 911 yards for 10 TDs for 73 receiving. These are just a small glimpse of what the WR is capable of, and hopes are that he will do much better in 2025. With Joe Burrow, the Bengals’ championship window remains open, so who knows if the WR will achieve that thing this year or not.
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