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Photos show Kentucky’s capital Frankfort submerged in water after record flooding

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Photos show Kentucky’s capital Frankfort submerged in water after record flooding


Powerful storms repeatedly struck parts of the South and Midwest late last week and over the weekend, killing dozens of people across multiple states and giving way to disastrous flooding in a number of regions. Some Kentucky cities and towns have seen inundation reach historic levels, as heavy rainfall caused major rivers to swell and spill over onto the land. 

In Frankfort, the state’s capital city, flooding from the Kentucky River submerged vast areas. Photos show the extent of the damage, capturing vehicles, highways, homes and buildings either partially or completely under water.

Severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025.

LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images


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An aerial view of Frankfort on April 7.

LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images


The worst of Frankfort’s flooding seemed to be over by Tuesday, said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear during a news conference in the capital, adding that the river had crested, which means water levels reached their highest point and were expected to slowly recede from then on. 

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Water floods fields, roads and structures near the Bluegrass Parkway in Kentucky’s Nelson County on April 7.

Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images


US-WEATHER-STORM-FLOODING

Flooded homes in Frankfort on April 7.

LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images


“We hope by the end of tomorrow, most people will be able to get back in their homes,” Beshear said. According to the governor, emergency crews in Frankfort rescued two people by boat just this week, as severe weather temporarily cut off residents’ access to water. Water in the city had been restored by Tuesday, he said, but driving in the area still wasn’t safe.

While Kentucky River flooding has started to abate, water levels along the Ohio River, which runs through Louisville, have yet to reach their peak, and forecasters warned dangerous flooding could still be ahead for residents in and around Kentucky’s largest city. 

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Frankfort’s Singing Bridge was closed to traffic April 7.

LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images


US-WEATHER-STORM-FLOODING

Water fills the parking lot of a Frankfort car dealership.

LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images


The National Water Prediction Service, an office within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has indicated that a portion of the Ohio River at McAlpine Upper, near downtown Louisville, may crest at around 37 feet on Wednesday. If that happens, it would rank among the worst flooding events in the area’s history, CBS News affiliate WLKY reported.

Close to 150 people have been rescued across Kentucky since these storms began, while 272 have been evacuated by boat as of Tuesday, Beshear said. At least five people statewide have died from weather-related incidents since last week, CBS News has confirmed. The dead include a 9-year-old boy swept away Friday on his way to school, and a 74-year-old whose body was discovered Saturday inside of a submerged vehicle, authorities said.

More have died outside of just Kentucky, and additional photos show flooding damages elsewhere in the Midwest. Unrelenting storms dumped rain and, in several instances, spawned tornadoes across a wide band of the United States, leaving trails of destruction in neighboring states like Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia and more. 

At least 10 people were killed in Tennessee alone, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, which was also scrambling resources to deal with catastrophic flooding this week. Three were confirmed dead during storms in Missouri, two were killed in Arkansas and another two in Georgia. Mississippi and Indiana have so far confirmed one death each due to the storms.  

Storms Bring Powerful Winds, Tornadoes, And Potentially Catastrophic Rainfall To Central U.S.

Water surrounds a home on April 5, 2025 in Wilson City, Missouri, where officials said between 6 and 9 inches of rain fell.

Scott Olson/ Getty Images


Storms Bring Powerful Winds, Tornadoes, And Potentially Catastrophic Rainfall To Central U.S.

A truck drives through floodwater on April 5 in Cairo, Illinois.

Scott Olson/ Getty Images


Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social and criminal justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.



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Who qualifies for stimulus checks?

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Who qualifies for stimulus checks?


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Over one million Americans have still not received their $1,400 stimulus checks from the federal government. It’s not too late for those that qualify — ahead of the April 15th tax deadline.

The Internal Revenue Service started sending out approximately $2.4 billion to 1 million taxpayers back in December for Recovery Rebate Credit checks that hadn’t been claimed yet. However they estimate another 1 million taxpayers are still missing out on $1 billion in stimulus, simply because they haven’t filed their 2021 income taxes.

April 15th is Tax Day for 2024 returns but it also marks a three-year deadline to claim any tax refunds or in this case, the $1,400 Recovery Rebate Credit for that year — 2021.

Here’s what to know about the stimulus and if your qualify for it.

Who is eligible for the stimulus check?

Taxpayers in the U.S. that didn’t file or claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax return are qualified to apply for it.

The refundable credit was for taxpayers who didn’t get one or more Economic Impact Payments (or stimulus checks) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stimulus amount is dependent on your adjusted gross income. In order to qualify for the full $1,400, the taxpayers’ annual income must not have been more than $75,000 for single filers or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.

How do I claim the $1,400 stimulus check?

If you filed your previous tax returns, then you don’t have to do anything but wait for the IRS to mail a check or use direct deposit into the last bank account provided in the 2023 tax return. They will notify you of such in a separately mailed letter.

However, if you have not filed a 2021 tax return to date, then you have until April  15, 2025, to file back-year returns. The IRS has a three-year deadline to claim a refund on tax returns.



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Idaho prosecutors confirm they will call Bryan Kohberger’s family to testify

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Idaho prosecutors confirm they will call Bryan Kohberger’s family to testify


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Idaho prosecutors confirmed in court Wednesday that they will call relatives of student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger to testify at his upcoming trial in the deaths of four University of Idaho undergrads.

Defense attorney Elisa Massoth said she expected prosecutors to only be interested in one relative “at best.” His family has “no interest” in helping the government, she said.

But Deputy Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Ashley Jennings said otherwise.

“We have the intention of calling a few family members,” she told the court.

READ BRYAN KOHBERGER’S COLLEGE ESSAY ON HANDLING A CRIME SCENE

Bryan Kohberger is shown in the Latah County Courthouse in Moscow, Idaho, on Aug. 18, 2023. Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. (August Frank/ Lewiston Tribune)

The confirmation came at a motions hearing as his defense team hopes to have a slew of evidence in the case blocked from his trial.

The 30-year-old aspiring criminologist is accused of entering a six-bedroom home and killing four University of Idaho students in a 4 a.m. stabbing spree on Nov. 13, 2022. At least two of the victims were asleep at the start of the attack, according to authorities.

He allegedly turned off his cellphone before heading to the house and changed his license plates days after the murders, according to authorities. But they allege they found a key piece of evidence: his DNA on a Ka-Bar knife sheath left under the body of Madison Mogen, 21.

The other three victims were Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

BRYAN KOHBERGER CASE: FBI’S DNA TACTICS DIDN’T VIOLATE LAW, BUT THEY RAISE ANOTHER PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN

idaho students final photo

Madison Mogen, top left, sits on the shoulders of best friend Kaylee Goncalves as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

Among the evidence Kohberger wants kept out of the trial are his Amazon shopping records, which allegedly show he purchased a Ka-Bar knife and sheath months before the murders and shopped for a replacement afterward; testimony from a surviving roommate who told police she saw an intruder with bushy eyebrows right after the attack; 911 audio; Kohberger’s 2020 college essay on handling a crime scene; a selfie photo showing the suspect posing with a thumbs-up in front of a shower; and National Weather Service data that could place a cloud over his alibi.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Kohberger is also asking the court to break precedent and take away the death penalty, arguing that he shouldn’t face it if convicted because he has autism.

On the other side, prosecutors are asking the court to block Kohberger from arguing that he was framed, and they want the defense to stop referring to the state’s intent to seek the death penalty as an attempt to kill him.

Bryan Kohberger in driver seat

Bryan Kohberger was stopped by Indiana police on Dec. 15, 2022, before he was identified as a suspect in the murders of four University of Idaho students. His father is pictured in the passenger seat. (Hancock County Police Department)

On Nov. 13, 2022, Kohberger was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. It’s about 10 miles from the crime scene in Moscow, Idaho, where the victims were undergrad students at the University of Idaho. 

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Police had no solid leads for more than a month, until investigative genetic genealogy techniques used on DNA from the knife sheath gave them a tip: Kohberger’s name. On Dec. 30, 2022, Pennsylvania State Police arrested him at his parents’ house in Albrightsville, in a gated community in the Pocono Mountains.

Kohberger wearing a red jail issue jumpsuit

Bryan Kohberger (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)

GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

They took a cheek swab at the scene, and he has been held without bail ever since.

A judge entered not-guilty pleas to charges of first-degree murder and burglary at his arraignment in May 2023.

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After successfully arguing for a change in venue, Kohberger will be tried in Boise with a start date scheduled for Aug. 11.





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As Bryce Underwood talk picks up, Michigan QB learns rigors of college

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As Bryce Underwood talk picks up, Michigan QB learns rigors of college


BELLEVILLE, Mich. — Three weeks in, practice doesn’t seem to be the issue for freshman Bryce Underwood.

It’s the school part that has his head spinning most.

The five-star quarterback has been the talk of Michigan’s spring practices so far, both for his athleticism and ball placement, all while Underwood balances an academic load of four classes per week.

And there’s an unfortunate kicker.

“Three of them are on Tuesday and Thursday,” Underwood said Sunday. “We practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so my days go from 8 (in the morning) to 8 (at night).

“Just running.”

Underwood, who spoke to The Ann Arbor News/ MLive following a name, image and likeness event at Belleville High School, candidly admitted that it’s been “a lot” but he’s “ready to take on that challenge no matter what.”

“Football is football,” he said. “School is a little bit more overwhelming now.”

More: Michigan OC: ‘If (Underwood)’s ready to go, he’ll play’

Complaints have long come from Michigan student-athletes in their freshman year about the difficulty of managing classes and the school’s summer bridge program, aimed to try and help acclimate them to the rigorous academic standards and expectations.

And while wall-to-wall Tuesdays and Thursdays might mean a lighter load the rest of the week for Underwood, there’s still another class to attend, the need to maintain his grades and work to do inside the walls of Schembechler Hall.

“I’ve been enjoying it,” Underwood said. “Honestly, it’s been going great. I’ve been enjoying the process of it, having school go along with it as well.”

Underwood confirmed that he’s been sharing a bulk of the reps in practice with sophomore Jadyn Davis, who redshirted last season after only appearing in one game. Transfer Mikey Keene is apparently dealing with an undisclosed injury, leaving the No. 1-ranked player in this year’s high-school recruiting class with little competition at the moment.

And while that might seem like a lot for a freshman, Underwood’s teammates have acknowledged a sudden step up in play at the quarterback position compared to last year.

“It’s been going great,” Underwood said of sharing reps with Davis, who saw the field in 2024 despite Michigan struggling to find reliable QB play. “Just building a bond with Jadyn, making each other better and everything.”

As for the speed of the game, the jump from high school to college can be a lot for some players. Underwood, who accounted for nearly 13,000 all-purpose yards at Belleville, where he was a four-year starter and two-time state champion, says he got the hang of everything in December during bowl practices. That hasn’t been an issue.

Meanwhile, his coaches continue to leave the door open for him to claim the starting job this fall. First-year offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who doubles as the team’s quarterbacks coach, has said that Underwood will start “if he’s ready.” Head coach Sherrone Moore has not ruled it out, praising his young quarterback’s work ethic and thirst to get better.

The school is clearly invested, too, handing him a multi-million dollar name, image and likeness package to flip his commitment from LSU to Michigan. It’s just a matter of it — not when — Underwood takes his first collegiate snap.

Asked Sunday about starting Michigan’s Aug. 30 season opener against New Mexico, Underwood, who said recently that he wants his Michigan legacy to be “a couple Heismans and at least one (national title),” had a simple, four-word response.

“That’s in due time,” Underwood said. “That’s in due time.”

Until then, don’t expect to see him much, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He’s busy.



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Hulu’s back after being down for many – here’s everything we know about the outage

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Hulu’s back after being down for many – here’s everything we know about the outage


Refresh

Considering this was a small outage, we have to hand it to the team at Hulu for quickly resolving it. Additionally, unlike some other recent outages, the @HuluSupport account was also responsive to frustrated users.

In case you’re wondering, the restart and log back-in method did indeed work on my iPhone, so if you’re still having issues using Hulu, that would be our recommendation.

Hulu says the ‘login is resolved’

Now, via a post on X (formerly Twitter), @HuluSupport says that the issues have been resolved, writing:

“Thank you for your patience. The login issue from earlier has been resolved. If you’re still running into any trouble on your end, please restart and try again.”

This means that if you’re still encountering issues on the web, via a mobile app – iOS or Android –, a smart TV, or even a streaming box, restarting might be the road to streaming once again.

I’m still seeing the error on my iPhone, so I’m trying a restart right now.

Reports on DownDetector are starting to drop as well. As of 10:52 AM ET, they are sitting around 1,100.

Even so, @HuluSupport is still responding to users, saying the streaming service’s team is working on a fix for login issues and the platform’s general instability right now.

Well, this might be a quick one

It seems like Hulu might be making a fast recovery, which is a good thing! I am now able to sign back in on my iPad and access live TV and on-demand content from the streaming service.

My colleague Lance Ulanoff, who previously couldn’t even enter an email address to log into Hulu, has at least gotten past that step.

On my iPhone, however, I am still receiving an “Error playing video” message with an “Error Code,” the “Local Time of Error,” and a “Unique Error ID.”

Here’s the official statement that @HuluSupport has posted to X (formerly Twitter):

This confirms an issue with logging in, but the TechRadar team, as well as other users who have posted on social media, are also having issues when already logged in or are being forced to log in after being signed out.

Hulu confirms there’s an issue

While Hulu doesn’t seem to have a status page, the streaming service confirms an issue and tells frustrated streamers its help is on the way. Via the @HuluSupport handle on X (formerly Twitter), it’s confirmed there’s an issue with a few users who have tweeted asking what’s going on.

@HuluSupport writes to one user, “We hear you! Our developers are on the case and working to resolve this as we speak. We appreciate your patience!”

And in another, it offers more reassurance but stops sorts of saying what exactly is causing the issues. It seems that many users are reporting are reporting getting automatically logged out and unable to sign back-in or are seeing basic webpages with a 503 error.

A big Hulu outage

As of 10:40 AM ET, Down Detector has spiked to over 13,000 reported outages for Hulu, with comments spelling issues watching content – either on-demand or through Live TV – and I can’t get it working on an iPhone or an iPad.

Stick with us as we see how long Hulu is having problems for!

(Image credit: Future)





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Marco Asensio vuelve al Parque de los Príncipes en la Champions

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Marco Asensio vuelve al Parque de los Príncipes en la Champions


No es seguro que los aficionados del Parque de los Príncipes tengan un recibimiento particular para el mallorquín Marco Asensio, a causa de la poca huella que su paso por el estadio ha dejado en su memoria.

Pero el español regresará al campo donde militó desde junio de 2023 en unas condiciones muy diferentes de las que tenía cuando lo abandonó en febrero pasado, desconectado de la grada, enfadado con su entrenador y con pocos elementos positivos en su haber.

En apenas dos meses, el futbolista de 29 años ha conseguido ocho goles y una asistencia en once partidos, más que los siete tantos que se apuntó en los 47 partidos disputados como parisiense.

Una muestra de que, de la mano de Unai Emery, el exjugador del Real Madrid ha recobrado la confianza que había acudido a buscar a París con Luis Enrique, que no supo sacar de él más partido del que venía dando en la capital española.

Decisivo en Birmingham

Su aporte al Aston Villa ha sido decisivo para que el club de Birmingham figure entre los ocho mejores de Europa, con tres goles en solo dos partidos en la competición europea, en la que no consiguió estrenarse con el PSG. Su implicación en el club inglés contrasta con la indolencia que mostró en París, que acabó por fatigar a Luis Enrique, quien renunció a seguir contando con él.

En la temporada y media que estuvo a las órdenes del asturiano, Asensio no consiguió hacerse con un puesto de titular y acabó por perder incluso el de suplente. Esta campaña había disputado tres de los cuatro partidos europeos, solo uno de ellos en el once de salida, y diez de los doce ligueros, ocho de salida.

Pero todo se torció el 22 de noviembre, tras la victoria del PSG contra el Toulouse en el Parque de los Príncipes. Esa noche, en el vestuario y delante de sus jugadores, Luis Enrique le reprochó que no se implicara lo suficiente en la presión, una de las señas de identidad del juego del técnico español.

El delantero le replicó y la discusión subió de tono, en medio de acusaciones del entrenador de su falta de pelea en los entrenamientos, según reporta el diario L’Équipe. Aunque Asensio pidió perdón unos días más tarde, esa noche su destino había quedado sellado.

En los días siguientes se le invitó a buscarse una salida para el mercado invernal y, tras resolver las dificultades que conlleva la estructura del PSG, acabó aceptando la proposición de Monchi, el director deportivo del Aston Villa.

Con contrato en París hasta 2026, el jugador salió con una cesión sin opción de compra, aunque ni el club quiere que regrese ni el jugador añora el club de la capital francesa, por lo que parece claro que su futuro se desarrollará lejos del Sena.

Si su progresión sigue en la misma línea, el Aston Villa podría hacer un esfuerzo para mantenerle, aunque en el PSG aseguran que tienen otras ofertas, una forma de rentabilizar al máximo la salida de un futbolista que cuenta con tres Ligas de Campeones en su palmarés.



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Neither Ansu Fati nor Pablo Torre, Betis Takes the Most Troublesome One: Goodbye Barça, Ready

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Neither Ansu Fati nor Pablo Torre, Betis Takes the Most Troublesome One: Goodbye Barça, Ready




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Social Security changes coming in April: Here’s what to know

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Social Security changes coming in April: Here’s what to know


article

FILE – A Social Security Administration office in suburban Detroit. (Photo by: Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – There are a few changes in April that could impact certain Social Security beneficiaries.

This includes a boost for many retired public workers, stricter identity requirements, and changes to how the agency recoups accidental overpayments.

Here’s what to know:

Social Security payment increase after new law 

Big picture view:

Millions of retired teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public workers will see a boost in their Social Security benefits following the repeal of two provisions that previously reduced payments for those receiving state or local government pensions.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that affected retirees would receive a one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, with higher monthly payments beginning in April.

Dig deeper:

This change comes after the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law by former President Joe Biden earlier this year. The law repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO)—two policies that limited benefits for those receiving other retirement payments.

Social Security changes how it recoups overpayments

What we know:

The SSA has also changed how it will recoup overpayments. When a person has been overpaid, the law requires the SSA to seek repayment. People who are overpaid will now automatically be placed in full recovery at a rate of 100% of the Social Security payment – a change which kicked in at the end of March. 

The backstory:

In the past, under the Obama administration and the first Trump administration, common practice was to withhold the next benefit at 100% until accidentally overpaid funds were recouped. But a previous plan under the Biden administration had sought just 10% each month of funds that were overpaid to help reduce financial hardship on people with overpayments.  

The agency recently reinstated the former plan that withholds 100% of people’s benefits if they are accidentally overpaid. 

Social Security in-person requirement for some

What’s next:

Beginning April 14, the SSA is implementing stricter identity verification procedures to prevent fraud, including in-person office visits for some. The agency said some new Social Security applicants and existing recipients who want to change their direct deposit information will no longer be able to verify their identity over the phone. And those who cannot properly do so through the agency’s “my Social Security” online service will be required to visit an agency field office. 

However, this change does not apply to individuals applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Social security benefits to rise 2.5% in 2025

Social Security recipients will receive a 2.5% increase in their monthly checks in 2025. Analysts had predicted a 2.5% bump for 2025, which is smaller than increases in the previous two years and reflects moderating inflation. Recipients received a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, after a historically large 8.7% benefit increase in 2023, brought on by record 40-year-high inflation.

Social Security April payment schedule

Timeline:

Social Security sends regular monthly payments (SSA benefits), but the date varies – generally depending on the day you were born. Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor (RSDI) beneficiaries who filed claims after May 1, 1997, are assigned either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month. Those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is monthly payments for people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources, get paid on the 1st of the month. 

If the 1st falls on the weekend or holiday, then the payments are typically issued on the previous weekday. Those who received benefits before May 1997 also have a specific payment date.

  • SSI payment: April 1
  • SSA beneficiaries who started getting benefits before May 1997: April 3
  • Birthday between the 1st and 10th of the month: April 9 (Second Wednesday of the month)
  • Birthday between the 11th and 20th of the month: April 16 (Third Wednesday of the month
  • Birthday between the 21st and 31st of the month: April 23 (Fourth Wednesday of the month)

The Source: This story was written based on information published by the Social Security Administration. It was reported from Cincinnati, and Megan Ziegler and Austin Williams contributed. 

MoneyU.S.



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5 NFL Teams That Should Target Trey Hendrickson amid Contract Frustration, Rumors

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5 NFL Teams That Should Target Trey Hendrickson amid Contract Frustration, Rumors


49ers Get: Edge Trey Hendrickson, 2025 first-round pick (17th overall)

Bengals Get: 2025 first-round pick (11th overall), 2025 third-round pick (75th overall), 2025 third-round pick (100th overall)

While the San Francisco 49ers may not be undergoing a full-on rebuild this offseason, they have allowed several key contributors to walk and must now find ways to replace them.

Pass-rusher Leonard Floyd was among the departures, as he was released during the legal-contact window. The 49ers have yet to replace him and are still searching for a quality complement to edge-rusher Nick Bosa.

There was some speculation that San Francisco would try to pair Bosa with his brother, Joey, following his release from the Los Angeles Chargers. However, the elder Bosa signed with the Buffalo Bills instead, and it appears he was never particularly close to joining the 49ers.

“It didn’t sound like that got close at all, really, to happening,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said last month (h/t David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone).

The 49ers could look for their No. 2 pass-rusher in the draft—the B/R Scouting Department recently mocked Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart to San Francisco. With $40.3 million in cap space, they could also consider pivoting to Hendrickson.

San Francisco is equipped with two third-round picks—it was awarded a special compensatory selection for the external hirings of DeMeco Ryans and Ran Carthon. It could offer both selections, along with a fairly sizeable first-round jump, to Cincinnati for Hendrickson.



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Chase, Higgins deals shape Bengals’ Hendrickson decision

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Chase, Higgins deals shape Bengals’ Hendrickson decision


  • Ben BabyApr 8, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

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      Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).

PALM BEACH, Fla. — The pause between words felt even heavier as Katie Blackburn’s sentence was suspended in the Florida humidity last Tuesday.

In her session with local reporters at the NFL annual league meeting in West Palm Beach, the Cincinnati Bengals executive vice president looked for the right word to describe defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s contract situation.

But after approximately 6.08 seconds, Blackburn finally found the right word.

“Unresolved, I guess you could say,” Blackburn said.

The statement was in response to a question about the team’s big offseason expenditures. In what seemed improbable six months earlier, the team signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to multi-year extensions worth a combined $276 million.

That context is pivotal when analyzing how the Bengals are building for 2025 and beyond. If Cincinnati is going to get back to the Super Bowl, it will be on the strength of the three players with the biggest deals — Chase, Higgins and quarterback Joe Burrow.

“We are going to have to figure out how to work the pieces around that,” Blackburn said. “It can be done.”

There are other pressing needs for a Bengals team that enjoyed career years from its best players in 2024 but still missed the playoffs for the second straight season. But the priority for the Bengals was making sure Chase and Higgins were part of the offensive attack moving forward.

Blackburn said “there’s no question” that the calculus of re-signing two players who will occupy a fifth of the team’s cap space in 2025 meant making decisions across the roster. That includes trying to resolve the Hendrickson dilemma.

The 31-year-old edge rusher led the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5. He and Chase were the team’s first All-Pro selections since 2015. And for the second straight year, Hendrickson requested a trade in order to get a long-term contract and a pay bump.

This offseason, Cincinnati granted Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. Blackburn said Hendrickson felt strongly about exploring options as Cincinnati ran into limitations while trying to get all of the deals done this offseason.

But given what the Bengals invested in Chase and Higgins and the market for edge rushers that currently has a ceiling of $40 million a year, Blackburn was asked if it’s feasible to get something done with Hendrickson at a rate everyone can be happy with moving forward.

“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” the executive vice president said.

Then Blackburn took a couple of seconds to pause.

“I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point,” Blackburn said. “If he’s not, that’s what holds it up sometimes.”

Hendrickson responded to those comments by lamenting the lack of communication from the Bengals to his agent, Harold Lewis. He said he was “disappointed” in the Bengals’ stance.

The Bengals have the No. 17 pick in the draft and could address the pass rush situation via that route.

Blackburn also pointed out that Hendrickson is current still a Bengal, with his contract set to run through 2025 with a base salary of $15.8 million. Blackburn, who is the one who negotiates and signs off on the team’s biggest contracts, also said the team has great respect for Hendrickson and hopes the two sides can work something out.

But ultimately, the Bengals have firmly made their decision. For this team to get back to winning at the highest level, it will be spearheaded by Burrow and his top playmakers.

Cincinnati believes the familiarity and consistency between Burrow and his top receivers should be a major strength this season.

“We did focus on trying to keep that offensive piece together because we think that gives us an opportunity to have the best chance to win,” Blackburn said.

That approach also factored into finding a potential starting offensive guard. The team released veteran Alex Cappa and brought in Lucas Patrick in free agency. Bengals coach Zac Taylor had effusive praise for Patrick and how well he matches up against the interior defensive linemen Cincinnati faces.

But on a one-year deal worth just $2 million, even that decision was built around Burrow, Chase and Higgins.

“We went through a process with our receivers and we wanted to make sure that they got paid first and foremost,” Taylor said. “Then we worked through (the guard market) as well.”

The expectations are clear for the upcoming season. Blackburn believes the team has the ability, talent and opportunity to do well in 2025. Now it’s a matter of living up to those aspirations.

Said Blackburn: “You have to take advantage of the opportunities we have this year and get the results we want.”



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