Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow made headlines earlier this week after sounding uncharacteristically reflective when speaking to the media about his future in the NFL. Burrow emphasized that, for him to continue playing the game — regardless of wins and losses — he needs to make sure he’s having fun.
After acknowledging that there’s a lot going on in his life right now, both professionally and personally, Burrow opened up about his mindset following yet another lengthy injury rehabilitation.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” Burrow 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.”
Burrow has endured several major injuries dating back to his college career, but especially during his first six seasons in the NFL. He suffered multiple ligament tears in his knee during his rookie year, dealt with training camp injuries such as a calf strain and a sudden appendectomy, and later tore a ligament in his wrist, which ended his 2023 season.
“I wouldn’t say I viewed it that way,” Burrow said when reflecting on his mindset before those injuries. “It’s reflection on a lot of things that I’ve done and been through in my career. I think I’ve been through more than most, and it’s certainly not easy on the brain or the body — so I’m just trying to have fun doing it again.”
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Burrow’s comments quickly went viral, drawing comparisons to former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who retired early due to injuries, and former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who grew so frustrated with the organization that he once threatened retirement in order to force his way out — which he eventually did.
While Burrow has suggested nothing of the sort, some fans believe he could be slowly heading in that direction. However, his mother, Robin, spoke to The KiddChris Show on 102.7 WEBN and appeared to put much of that speculation to rest, at least for now.
“We love the game, and he loves the game,” Robin said. “It’s what he loves to do. He loves playing here in Cincinnati and for this city.”
In 2023, Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension with the Bengals, effectively locking him in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future. If he were ever to request a trade, it would likely require a generational haul for the Bengals to even consider moving him.
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