Joe Burrow doesn’t appear to be having very much fun right now.
The Bengals’ star quarterback had some curious comments during a press conference Wednesday that many thought were alarming.
“If I want to keep doing this, then what am I trying to do with myself?” Burrow told reporters. “And I have to have fun doing it. You know, if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So, that’s the mindset.”
Burrow just returned from a severe Grade 3 turf toe injury, missing a majority of the season after suffering the injury in Week 2.
Since returning, Burrow has led the Bengals to a win over the Ravens and a high-scoring loss in Buffalo to the Bills that all but ended Cincinnati’s playoff hopes.
“Do I have fun playing?” Burrow asked while at the press conference. “I mean, how much? Winning’s always fun, but in general, was it as fun as before? No, I wouldn’t say it was that way.”
The Bengals currently have the No. 28-ranked offensive line according to Pro Football Focus, and he’s being pressured on 23.3 percent of his dropbacks, among the worst figures in the NFL
Burrow has suffered numerous injuries in his NFL career as he’s tried to put the Bengals on his back, leading them to a Super Bowl loss to the Rams in 2022.
This will now likely be the third straight season the Bengals have missed the playoffs.
Burrow was asked if there was a turning point that made him enjoy the game less.
“The changing point? I’m not sure there was a singular moment or time,” Burrow said. “Reflection — reflection on a lot of things that I’ve done and been through in my career, I think. And I’ve been through more than most. Certainly not easy on the brain or body, so just trying to have fun doing it again.”
Burrow ominously added, “Ummm, there’s just a lot of things going on right now — football-related, personally, all the above.”
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Burrow was distressed last season after a break-in at his home, in which the only person at his residence was model Olivia Ponton.
The two have since been spotted together are are believed to be dating.
On the field, Burrow is among the most hit quarterbacks in the NFL on a yearly basis.
There were rumblings that the Bengals’ superstar signal caller had reservations about playing in Cincinnati while he was starring at LSU.
Some implored the Heisman trophy winner to “pull an Eli Manning” and tell the Bengals to trade the pick ahead of the draft.
Burrow wound up going to the Bengals, where he got abused behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines in 2020, eventually resulting in him tearing his ACL as a rookie.
Some have speculated that these comments could be a precursor to an early retirement or a trade demand.
It certainly is possible that his frustration is with the team, which seemingly can’t solve offensive line issues and continues to botch contract negotiations with players, as the Bengals’ owners, the Brown family, are known as one of the cheapest in the NFL.
Burrow threw four touchdown passes against Buffalo, but also tossed two critical interceptions in the snow that doomed Cincinnati.
The Bengals face the division rival Ravens on Sunday.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
