ARLINGTON, Texas – Key Cincinnati Bengals players’ conversations before Monday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys were about making memories and enjoying the rest of this season despite the disappointing record.

Then quarterback Joe Burrow shifted the conversation. After the team’s 27-20 win at AT&T Stadium on “Monday Night Football,” the final four games of the regular season may not be the end for Cincinnati’s offensive trio of Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Higgins has failed to secure a long-term deal with the team over the past two offseasons and is playing on a one-year franchise basis. But in his postgame press conference, Burrow said he believes the team will find a way to keep Higgins around.

“These discussions are ongoing,” Burrow said. “I am confident we will do everything we can to bring tea back.”

Burrow even went so far as to say that he would personally intervene in the matter.

“I know I’m going to do whatever it takes to get him back, and so is he,” Burrow said. “We have had these conversations. These will be off-season conversations. But I think we’re excited about this opportunity.”

The odds of keeping Higgins this season were about as slim as Cincinnati’s playoff chances, even after a win that pushed the Bengals’ record to 5-8. Burrow already makes $55 million a year, and Chase, who leads the NFL in receiving yards, catches and touchdowns, is eyeing a deal that will make him the highest-paid receiver in league history.

But Burrow reiterated his confidence in the financial logistics of keeping Higgins, making that clear both in his press conference and at his postgame locker.

Higgins, Chase and Burrow were all selected by coach Zac Taylor as team captains for the pregame coin toss. This was the first time that the trio, who have played together since 2021, represented the team in the draw.

No significance was given, but at that moment Chase said he was thinking long term.

“It’s on my mind,” Chase said. “During the coin toss that actually went through my head.”

Of the two receivers, Chase was the one who had a big game. He finished the game with 14 catches on 18 targets for 177 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. With 1:01 remaining and the score tied, Chase caught a pass, spun and ran down the field for a 40-yard touchdown that sealed the game.

One of the main reasons Chase was able to have a great night, according to Burrow, was because Higgins was on the field.

“You feel his presence when he’s out there,” Burrow said. “You can feel how it affects the defense. You can feel how it affects the defensive coordinator’s instructions. Even if he isn’t particularly productive on the night, teams need to be worried about him and feel his presence. The defense is worried about him, and you can feel that.”

Monday was one of those nights where Higgins’ production was lacking. He joked that he should no longer be captain after his trip. He had two catches on five targets for 23 yards, including a possible missed touchdown.

Higgins, a fifth-year Clemson receiver, appreciated his quarterback’s mood after the game. He also clarified a few things.

There’s no question he wants a long-term deal this offseason. He doesn’t rule out the possibility of a return to Cincinnati, but he also knows that the question of whether it’s really financially feasible can only be answered by the front office.

And when it comes to how he incorporates his synergies with Burrow and Higgins into what he pursues financially, there is a hierarchy.

“The relationships are more important,” Higgins said from a corner of the visitors’ locker room. “Financially, it will come.”

The earliest the Bengals and Higgins can agree on a long-term contract is at the end of the season. Although Cincinnati is technically not eliminated, the Bengals have a 1.9% chance of reaching the postseason, according to ESPN Research.

And with the uncertainty surrounding his future, Higgins enjoyed taking the field with Burrow and Chase in front of a national television audience.

“Like you all said, this might be my last season (with the Bengals), so I definitely appreciated it,” Higgins said. “I love these guys more than anything.”