CINCINNATI — Andrei Iosivas said he is taking a different approach to his fourth season with the Cincinnati Bengals. No more worrying about what others think of him.
The 2023 sixth-round draft pick opened up this week about how some abusive messages on social media impacted him last year when he was struggling with dropped passes.
Add in speculation about the competition for his No. 3 wide receiver spot with the Bengals drafting Colbie Young in the fourth round and this being a contract year for Iosivas, there’s plenty of good reasons to block out the outside noise.
“I mean, I’m always going to be a team player, but I don’t care,” Iosivas said. “I care about the team and how I perform, obviously, but I just can’t care about everybody all the time. That’s just, I can’t. That’s how you got to play.”
“Just not letting outside noise, like circumstances, social media — whatever circumstance I’m in, I’m gonna do it and playing the ball that I know how to play. I know I’m a great player. So not letting people’s opinions or anything irritate me.”
Iosivas said he’s just going to “do me.”
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) reacts after making a catch during a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. JEFF DEAN / AP Jeff Dean
That’s how he has always tried to approach football, but last year, he let others opinions get to him, and that reflected in his performance. One drop at Green Bay in Week 6 turned into three for the game, and Iosivas finished with five drops for the season. He had just two touchdowns after recording six of them in 2024.
“The situations were weird,” Iosivas said. “I had those drops in those games and like people would tell me to kill myself and all that kind of stuff. So I never had that kind of stuff happen to me before. So it was, it got in my head a little bit, you know, when your DMs are filled with people telling you to kill yourself and stuff.”
Iosivas did not wish to talk any further about the DMs, as he started to choke up a bit thinking about the negativity and how it impacted him.
Professional athletes have said that kind of abuse on social media is becoming more prevalent with the increase in attention on Fantasy sports and sports betting. The anonymity social media provides also gives fans a platform for that kind of behavior without accountability.
Iosivas just wants to show the kind of player he can be. Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Iosivas has “high expectations for himself” and the team is “excited to see him continue to grow.”
“I think he’s a really hard worker, and I still look at him as if he’s a veteran in some ways, but he’s still young,” Taylor said. “He’s going into his fourth year now. And he continues to grow with the guys outside of him. I love his mindset, his attitude, and the way he works. We’re all big fans, just looking for him to continue to improve.”
Last year, Iosivas expected to have a bigger role than he ultimately played. He had taken a big step between his rookie season and 2024, but in an offense with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as the stars, it’s difficult to find more opportunities to shine.
The drops didn’t help, but Iosivas is focused now on getting back to the best version of himself and showing how he can make an impact.
“I just want to make the most of all my opportunities, and that’s how I always am,” Iosivas said.
The Bengals have not engaged in any discussions about a second contract or long-term plans, Iosivas said, but that doesn’t impact his own motivation to do well.
Whether he’s fighting for a new contract with the Bengals or someone else, Iosivas has something to prove this year.
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, bottom, celebrates with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) and wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) after scoring against the Cleveland Browns during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Cincinnati. JEFF DEAN / AP PHOTO Jeff Dean Jeff Dean
“I’m not really going into this year expecting anything,” Iosivas said. “I’m just going to do me, whatever. Do me and whatever happens, happens. I don’t really hope for anything.”
Cincinnati’s decision to draft a wide receiver could be a sign the organization is preparing for a future without Iosivas, but a lot of people thought the Bengals were pushing him aside in 2024 when they used a third-round pick on Jermaine Burton, who was released last season.
“I don’t really care about that kind of stuff,” Iosivas said. “Honestly, I just do me and whatever happens. I feel like I’ve been fighting for that spot for like three years.
“I mean, they drafted a dude in the third round too, so it’s just regular,” Iosivas added. “It’s just how the business goes. I don’t like feel hurt by any of that kind of stuff. It’s just, I don’t really care about it. It’s just regular.”