As Andrei Iosivas gears up for the new season, he carries with him a fresh perspective, spurred by the harsh criticism he faced on social media last year. Among the barrage of messages, some went as far as urging him to “kill yourself.”
The Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver expressed his frustration over the situation, recalling the unsettling messages he received from fans after leading his team with five dropped passes.
Iosivas admitted that the barrage of negative feedback and threats significantly impacted his ability to stay focused during the previous season, as he shared with reporters on Tuesday.
“Last year, I found myself overthinking things,” Iosivas told ESPN. “Experiencing those drops during games and then receiving messages telling me to kill myself was something entirely new and disturbing to me.”
“It messed with my mind when I saw my direct messages filled with people telling me to end my life,” he added.
Iosivas, 26, saw his production drop during the 2025 season, one in which quarterback Joe Burrow was injured for most of the campaign.
The receiver had 33 catches for 335 yards and two touchdowns, a dip from the previous two seasons, which saw him pull in a combined 10 touchdown catches on 51 receptions.
Going into this season, Iosivas said he intends not to let things get to him the same way they had last year.
“Just not letting outside noise get to me and letting circumstances get to me,” he said. “I know I’m a great player so [I’m] not letting people’s opinions or things in the building kind of just irritate me.”
Among the wide receiver group in Cincinnati, Iosivas is behind stars Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.