Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had fans squirming as he participated in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic on Saturday in Los Angeles. The talented but oft-injured star signal caller was out there playing hard and didn’t have any restrictions, while giving nearly every single Bengals fan a heart attack.
Joe Burrow really out here risking it all for flag football 🏈 this look like a setup lol how to transition from tackle football smdh
— LA MAQUINA DE SOMBRAS (@FANalyst1) March 22, 2026
Burrow’s competitive fire showed out in the event, and even drew the ire of former NFL player Antonio Brown. The mercurial former wide receiver took to X to say this about Burrow’s play:
“He’s just going for the injury settlement at this point.”
Burrow Says He Wants To Grow The Game, Play In Olympics
Speaking with reporters at the event this week, the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at LSU had plenty to say about why he decided to participate in the event.
“I’ve always wanted to play in the Olympics. I’ve never necessarily played an Olympic sport before, so when this got announced, I was pretty excited about it,” Burrow said.
”The opportunity to win a gold medal (is) something that I’ve thought about — a moment like that — for a long time, since I was a kid. I think it would be something very special.”
Fans Had Plenty To Say About Burrow Playing
Looking supremely athletic in the event, Burrow’s play had fans all over social media talking, with many agreeing and disagreeing with him playing.
“This dude wasn’t this athletic in the playoffs what gives,” a fan said.
“Watching him plant on that knee is giving me the same stress as watching people ignore tornado warnings,” another fan said.
“Burrow playing like this is Week 17 and the division title on the line,” another fan mentioned.
“Better to go out that way than via Myles Garrett,” a fan quipped.
“That’s the most fun he’s had in years,” another fan spewed.
“Anthony Burrow Davis is made out of glass. Be careful,” a fan said.
“In all fairness he’s getting better blocking here,” another fan said.
“Crazy how many of you numbnuts don’t realize the Pro Bowl is a flag football game,” another fan mentioned.
What’s Next For Burrow?
As he enters his seventh season Burrow is looking to shed the injury-prone label. As he returns from a grade 3 turf toe injury that limited him to just eight games last season, “Joe Cool,” as he’s affectionately known, looks primed for a huge year if the Bengals’ shoddy offensive line can keep him upright.
When healthy Burrow has shown that he can lead the Bengals to the biggest stage, but that hasn’t happened since that magical run to the 2022 Super Bowl. In a small sample size last year the 2020 No. 1 overall pick passed for 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
In six seasons he’s passed for nearly 21,000 yards, 157 touchdowns and 51 interceptions. He reached his career-high for yards and touchdowns in 2024 with 4918 yards and 43 touchdowns.