Trey Hendrickson has quickly become one of the most feared defenders in the National Football League, and for good reason.

Since being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 3rd Round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Apopka native has kept countless offensive coordinators up the night before game day. Over the course of his lengthy NFL Career, Hendrickson has recorded 220 total tackles, 77 sacks and 14 forced fumbles. The work hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Trey Hendrickson has been named to four consecutive Pro Bowls (2021-24), was named as a First Team All-Pro (2024) and was the winner of the 2024 Deacon Jones Award, honoring the NFL’s Sacks leader that season with 17.5.

Before the fame and glory of playing on Sundays, Trey Hendrickson was terrorizing offenses for the Florida Atlantic Owls. Hendrickson is by far the greatest defender in Owls’ history, as from 2013-16 he recorded 29.5 sacks, and 8 forced fumbles (both program records). During his time as an Owl, Trey Hendrickson was a two time First Team All-ConferenceUSA selection, alongside the 2016 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.

During his senior season as an Owl, Trey recorded 50 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and a nation leading 4 blocked kicks.

Earlier this afternoon, Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals agreed on a 1 Year, $30M deal, giving the star pass rusher a lucrative $14 Million raise this season, while still leaving him eligible for free agency at the beginning of the off-season. Hendrickson’s new deal now financially places him in that upper echelon of Pass Rushers, joining the likes of Myles Garrett ($40M), Maxx Crosby ($35.5M) and Nick Bosa ($34M) as EDGE rushers making $30M+ this League year.

The extension of Hendrickson breaks yet another Florida Atlantic Football Record, as he becomes the highest paid Owl in program history, surpassing his former teammate, LB Azeez Al‑Shaair, who agreed to a 3-Year, $34M deal with the Houston Texans in 2024.

As the Owls prepare to enter their 25th season in program history, could this become the year that Trey Hendrickson, alongside other Florida Atlantic legends become enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame?

Cover Photo Credits: Florida Atlantic Athletics