The Cincinnati Bengals and first-round pick Shemar Stewart have finally reached an agreement after months of tension and public disagreement. Stewart, the defensive end selected 17th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, signed his rookie deal Saturday, ending a standoff that had seen the two sides exchange sharp words.
The conflict began when Stewart questioned the Bengals’ approach to rookie contracts and training camp participation, leading to his holdout from training camp. The team, reportedly attempting to restructure their rookie contracts to void future guarantees, was frustrated by Stewart’s stance. Despite being involved in meetings during minicamp, Stewart did not participate in field drills, a situation that upset Bengals executive Duke Tobin.