Joe Burrow Gets Real About His Satisfaction in Cincinnati
Is Joe Burrow happy in Cincinnati?
The question gets asked often in the national media no matter how many times he shoots down the narrative.
The quarterback of the Bengals handled it again this week at the Pro Bowl Games and perhaps poked some fun at himself in the process.
How it started
Often it feels like the national media has been trying to run Burrow out of Cincinnati since he arrived in the Queen City in 2020 — or maybe earlier.
Even before the Bengals used the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft on the LSU quarterback, there was a lot of unfounded speculation he might “pull an Eli” and force his way to another team the way Eli Manning reportedly did when the San Diego Chargers had the No. 1 pick in 2004. (He ended up with the New York Giants instead.)
Burrow made it clear at the 2020 NFL Combine that he would report to the Bengals if they took him, and he has gone on to become a star for the franchise.
How it’s going
Burrow has thrown for more than 20,000 yards in six NFL seasons.
He is third in career passer rating and has the highest completion percentage in league history.
He led the Bengals to a surprise Super Bowl appearance in his second season, but they have missed the playoffs three years in a row.
Burrow has also suffered three major injuries — a torn ACL in his rookie season, torn wrist ligaments in 2023, and turf toe this past season — leading him to miss many games.
That and the 24/7 need for sports content on television and online leads to lots of chatter about his future, at least outside Ohio.
Could Burrow go the route of Andrew Luck and retire early out of frustration with his situation? With a five-year, $275-million contract to play for the Bengals running through the 2029 season, would he demand a trade to get out sooner?
Just this week on his national radio show, Dan Patrick asked NFL reporter Albert Breer about a potential return if a team wanted to trade for Burrow, but the quarterback himself keeps saying he will be a Bengal next season.
The question followed him to the Pro Bowl Games this week, and he responded with the perspective that has marked many of his answers when it comes to his mindset.
“I’ve been injured quite a bit in my career, so I’ve gained some perspective on this whole thing,” he said of accepting a late invitation to the Pro Bowl. “When the league asked me to do it, I was a little hesitant at first, but then they convinced me, and I’m glad I did it.”
Then came the million-dollar question from ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe:
“Is Joe Burrow happy in Cincinnati? Honestly?”
Burrow responded with no hesitation.
“Yeah, I am. I think everybody has bad days, right? Everybody has bad days. Sometimes they fall on press conference days, so that’s how it goes sometimes.”
¡LA PROMESA DE JOE BURROW A @espnsutcliffe! ????
— ESPN.com.mx (@ESPNmx) February 4, 2026
???? El QB y la piñata para el próximo Mondaaayyy Niiight Football.
¿ES FELIZ EN CINCINNATI? ???? pic.twitter.com/XHqod18vTi
He laughed as he delivered the line, a reference to his seeming surlyness at times during regularly scheduled press conferences last fall.
Press conference confusion
Quarterbacks always talk to the media after games, win or lose, and he is available every Wednesday as well.
At one of the latter in September, Burrow acknowledged he is concentrating on enjoying himself, given the struggles he has had to overcome.
"If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” he said. “I have been through a lot. If it's not fun, then what am I doing it for? That is the mindset I am trying to bring to the table."
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Later in the season, after the Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention, Burrow said he could not envision himself playing for another team next season, but he did acknowledge finishing his career elsewhere is in the realm of possibility — not because he was looking forward to leaving but just to acknowledge many players end up suiting up for multiple franchises.
That includes quarterbacks such as Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford, something of which Burrow is no doubt well aware.
"You think about a lot of things,” Burrow said. “A lot of crazy things happen every year. Micah Parsons got traded right before the season. That's something I hadn't seen in a long time in the NFL. So crazy things can happen."
National media took those opportunities to spout opinions about what Burrow’s future might be, but it sounds like he remains committed to finishing what he has started with the Bengals — at least until that contract runs out.