The star receiver has worked with the quarterback since his years at LSU; no one in the locker room knows him better
CINCINNATI — When the wide receiver of the Cincinnati Bengals, Ja’Marr Chase, He saw the video, he didn’t know if it was real.
It was a fragment of his teammate and starting quarterback, Joe Burrowin an introspective reflection on how he feels about American football right now. The quote, and the sentiment, circulated as soon as it left Burrow’s mouth: If you don’t have fun playing football, what’s the point?
“Did this really happen?” Chase asked reporters, sitting in the same seat as Burrow 24 hours earlier, in front of the same microphone.
When Chase found out that it wasn’t computer generated, he tilted his head down and said, “Ah,” as if to process the information with what he knew since they were together in LSU.
Maybe Ja’Marr Chase meet Joe Burrow better than any other partner. They have spent the last five seasons together in the NFL after two years of university in LSUwhere they won a national championship.
One thing’s for sure: only Burrow can speak for him. Everyone else has to rely on what they see to evaluate how you feel. And for Chase, what he sees of Burrow remains the same.
“From what I see, he looks the same every day,” Chase noted Thursday. “He comes to work, ready to play. He comes to train, himself.”
“He helps me every day. There is no negativity on his part.”
On Thursday, there was nothing to suggest anything could be wrong with the franchise star and one of the league’s best quarterbacks.
Amid the cold and snowflakes falling on the team’s practice field, Burrow took his usual reps during the open portion of practice. He is preparing for his third start since returning from a big toe injury that forced him to miss nine games and ruined a promising season.
This season marked the third time Burrow has been placed on the disabled list due to a serious ailment. The other two occasions, 2020 (knee) and 2023 (wrist), were season-ending issues. This is the first time he has been able to play in the same year after surgery.
The circumstances surrounding his return were not those that Bengals expected when he was injured in Week 2. Instead of being in the thick of the playoff race when Burrow returned for Week 13 against Baltimore, Cincinnati He had a 3-8 record. The recent defeat against Buffalo Bills They ensured the 4-9 Bengals had a losing record for the first time since Burrow’s rookie season.
After that defeat, Joe Burrow talked about having fun as his main goal during the final four games of the regular season.
That prompted a follow-up question four days later, which led to Burrow’s most introspective response.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun,” Burrow responded, adding that his desire to win remains the same. “I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun, why do I do it? That’s the mentality I try to convey.”
Burrow later added that he had several things on his mind, from the team’s performance on the field to aspects of his private life. But he also confirmed that not winning has contributed to his current state of mind.
Adam Schefter, expert at the NFL in ESPNstated that the teams of the NFL They took note of Burrow’s comments and are paying attention. Burrow has at least four years remaining on the $255 million contract extension he signed in 2023, which also includes a no-trade clause.
“When we talk about football and how fun it is, we’re talking about the idea of going out and winning games with your players,” said the backup quarterback for the United States. Bengals, Joe Flaccoa ESPN on Thursday. “When you’re not doing it at the level you want, yeah, it can be a little more tiring.”
“I mean, that’s part of the wear and tear that comes with losing, and that’s part of the test that football puts on you.”
For Burrow, that level has been competing for championships. Whether playing high school in Southeast Ohio, leading LSU for two seasons or reviving the professional franchise of CincinnatiBurrow has won or contested a championship at all three levels.
With a loss on Sunday, the Bengals They will be eliminated from playoff contention for the third consecutive season.
This is very different from the scenes in the old locker room of the Bengalswhere Burrow held a cigar and rapped the lyrics to Future’s “Codeine Crazy” at his locker after Cincinnati will secure consecutive AFC North titles in 2021 and 2022.
Burrow’s emotional tone has changed since his big toe injury. He has been more reflective and grateful to be able to play this season. But the passion to win still persists.
From what Chase can see, his old friend doesn’t seem like a guy unhappy playing for Cincinnati this weekend.
“To me, he loves football,” Chase concluded. “But that’s a question only he can answer.”
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