In what became a viral whirlwind of confusion, NFL fans were left stunned after ESPN reportedly claimed that wide receiver Alec Pierce had inked a jaw-dropping five-year, $156 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. The report sent social media into a frenzy, triggering wild speculation and celebratory messages from Bengals fans who believed they had landed an unexpected superstar addition. But here’s the kicker—it’s completely false.
Sources close to the situation immediately began to refute the report, calling it a “massive error” and a “mistaken data entry.” ESPN has yet to release an official correction or clarification, but insiders say the report may have stemmed from a backend update or a draft transaction post that was never meant to go public.
Pierce, a promising wideout originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, is still under contract with the Colts and hasn’t been involved in any trade or negotiation talks with Cincinnati. In fact, Pierce has been actively participating in offseason workouts and training activities with the Colts and remains one of their key offensive pieces for the upcoming season.
What makes this situation even more bizarre is the nature of the contract that was falsely reported. A five-year, $156 million deal would position Alec Pierce among the highest-paid wide receivers in NFL history, alongside the likes of Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams. While Pierce has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career, he has yet to deliver the consistent production that would justify such a blockbuster deal—making the false report even more confusing.
The Bengals, for their part, issued a short statement through a team spokesperson: “There is no truth to any reports linking Alec Pierce to our roster or any contract agreement. We are focused on preparing our current players for the upcoming season.”
Fans are still scratching their heads about how such a dramatic error could have made it into ESPN’s system, especially involving a name not previously associated with the Bengals in trade rumors or free agency speculation. Some theorize it may have been an internal test or placeholder template gone awry, while others believe it could be part of a broader system malfunction.
Whatever the cause, one thing is clear: Alec Pierce remains a Colt, and the Bengals had nothing to do with the surreal contract headline that captivated the NFL world for several chaotic hours. Now, as training camps approach, Pierce will aim to silence the noise and prove that maybe, just maybe, a $156 million deal might not sound so crazy in the near future