Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson made it clear Wednesday that he was not interested in talking about his upcoming reunion with the Cincinnati Bengals, sidestepping repeated questions about his first game against his former team. As the Ravens prepare to play the Bengals on Sunday, Hendrickson chose not to directly answer whether he is looking forward to sacking his former teammate Joe Burrow.
"It's not about me," Hendrickson said. "It's about the team and what I can bring and what we can collectively do as a unit."
Hendrickson, 31, signed a four-year, $112 million contract with the Ravens this offseason after four Pro Bowl seasons with the Bengals. His 61 sacks with Cincinnati from 2021-25 ranked as the fourth most in the league. Asked if there was any bad blood, Hendrickson said, "As a Christian, I forgive and I move on. There are wonderful times that I had there." He has two sacks for Baltimore this season, and his 30% pass rush win rate ranks third in the league, according to ESPN Analytics.
Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson predicted a big game from Hendrickson on Sunday. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had a one-word response when asked to sum up Hendrickson's five seasons in Cincinnati: "Productive." Bengals coach Zac Taylor was also limited in his comments, saying, "He's a good player."
Hendrickson's time in Cincinnati ended after a back injury sidelined him for most of last season, following unfulfilled trade requests and the lack of a long-term extension. Bengals offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who started his career with the Ravens, said, "I imagine he will have a little extra to play for."
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing