Burrow stated in a press conference on Saturday that it “means a lot,” according to the team’s official website. “I put a lot of effort into becoming a good player, and I also consider a lot of how I conduct myself and how I can be the greatest version of myself for this team. It means a lot to me to be rewarded for that. But there’s still a lot to do.”
Over his first three seasons in Cincinnati, Burrow has completed 42 games with 11,774 yards of passing, 82 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions as a center. Burrow guided the Bengals to two straight AFC Championship Games and a trip to the Super Bowl in 2021 throughout those three years. The Bengals signing Burrow as their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future is hardly shocking.
“In the NFL, the quarterback is like the key to your car,” Bengals owner and president Mike Brown remarked in a statement. “My father always said.” “Even if you have a fantastic car, you still need a key to start it and drive it well. Joe seems like a wonderful fit for us.
“Over the years, our team has been fortunate to have a number of excellent quarterbacks, beginning with Greg Cook and continuing with Joe. Our hallways have been graced by six Pro Bowl quarterbacks, and Joe is a smart athlete who adores football. The franchise is happy that it is in capable hands.”
The 26-year-old Burrow waited patiently for the ideal time to negotiate a new contract during his protracted offseason. Burrow seen the new contracts that other quarterbacks in the league received. Jaren Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles inked a five-year, $255 million agreement; Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens signed a five-year, $260 million contract; and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers inked a five-year, $262.5 million deal.
Burrow’s football career is not unlike the experiences of other NFL quarterbacks. Burrow played in ten games for Ohio State during his first three years of collegiate play. He made the decision to move from Ohio State to LSU in 2018. In his junior season, Burrow threw for sixteen touchdowns and five interceptions. Burrow didn’t win the Heisman Trophy until his final year as a Tiger, when he passed for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Even after excelling at LSU and being selected first overall in the 2020 draft, Burrow is driven to make amends for his time as a Buckeye.
“I needed to take care of some business in Ohio. My experience at Ohio State was, in my opinion, my one sporting failure to date,” Burrow remarked. “I was unable to play. It has been significant to me to return and in that sense atone for my transgressions.”
