Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown never shies away from speaking his mind, and he recently made his stance on the NFL’s franchise tag system crystal clear. During a recent episode of the St. Brown Bros.

 Podcast, St. Brown expressed disbelief that Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins had been franchise-tagged for a second straight year, strongly voicing his displeasure with the situation.

Amon-Ra St. Brown’s Issues With the Franchise Tag System

St. Brown didn’t hide his frustration after learning the Bengals tagged Higgins again, and he spoke bluntly. “That should be illegal. I don’t care what anyone says,” St. Brown said without hesitation. “Saquon (Barkley) went through the same thing. I’d be pissed, I don’t care what anyone says.

Yeah, it’s good money, but still. You’d rather get a bigger contract with more guaranteed money. Get that long-term security. Especially after balling for the team for five or six years, like come on.”

St. Brown’s honest reaction comes from personal experience. After securing a long-term extension with Detroit, St. Brown understands that while the franchise tag provides a big paycheck, it falls short in giving players the long-term security they’ve earned.

The Importance of Financial Stability

The Lions star stressed that franchise tags—despite their high value—fail to offer the lasting guarantees players need, particularly for those who’ve consistently delivered for their teams.

For someone like Higgins, who’s been a core contributor to Cincinnati’s success, being tagged again blocks him from landing a contract that ensures long-term financial stability and sets him up for life after football.

The Takeaway

For Amon-Ra St. Brown, this goes beyond money. He knows how critical it is to secure long-term deals, especially for players who have consistently proven their value.

“You’d rather get a bigger contract with more guaranteed money. Get that security,” he said, driving home the fact that real financial peace comes from locking in a long-term agreement.