What is going on in the world of Joe Burrow?
The superstar Cincinnati Bengals quarterback has fought through adversity this year after suffering a Turf Toe injury that kept him out of action for a majority of the season. He had to watch from the sidelines as different quarterbacks tried to keep his team above water for him to return, only for the team’s woeful defense to be the ultimate reason why they sit 4-9 and have no chance of making the postseason.
On his birthday this past week, Burrow sat solemn and dejected as the local media asked him questions and tried to pick his brain. The generally cool, charismatic, and confident quarterback was nothing like himself. Instead of a grin, he wore a blank face and eyes that looked as if he was in another world entirely, going through the motions of his obligations as the team’s quarterback.
When asked how he is dealing with everything, Burrow said he needs to find the “fun” in playing the game again, or what is the point of suiting up every week?
His answer sent shockwaves through NFL circles across the country, as fans and teams began speculating about what Burrow could mean as he enters an offseason with another year wasted without returning to the Super Bowl.
Could it be an early retirement, ala Andrew Luck with the Indianapolis Colts?
Or could one of the biggest stars in the sport be looking for a way out of a franchise that has failed to build any sort of proper defense on the side of the ball Burrow can’t control?
After making it to the Super Bowl four years ago and losing in the final minutes to the Los Angeles Rams, Burrow has been on a mission to get back to the top. If the Bengals can’t promise him that they can have a defense decent enough for him to even make it to the postseason again, could he demand a trade?
If he does, look for those very same Rams, the Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders all to be top suitors for Burrow, who would command one of the biggest king’s ransoms in sports history if put on the trade block this offseason.