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Ben Baby
CINCINNATI — When Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase saw the clip, he didn’t know whether it was real.
It was a snippet of his longtime teammate and starting quarterback Joe Burrow delivering an introspective point about how he feels about football at the moment. The quote, and sentiment, made the rounds as soon as it left Burrow’s mouth: If he’s not having fun playing football, then what exactly is the point?
«Did this really happen, though?» Chase asked reporters, sitting in the same seat Burrow was in 24 hours earlier, in front of the same prop mic.
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When Chase learned it wasn’t computer generated, he tilted his head downward and said, «Huh,'» as if to process the information with what he has known since their days together at LSU.
Chase perhaps knows Burrow better any other teammate ever will. They have spent the past five seasons in the NFL together after two collegiate years at LSU, where they won a national championship.
One thing is certain, only Burrow can speak for Burrow. Everyone else has to go by what they see to gauge how he’s feeling. And for Chase, what he sees from Burrow remains unchanged.
«From what I see, he seems the same every day,» Chase said Thursday. «Comes to work, ready to play. Comes to practice, the same guy.
«He helps me every day. No negativity in the building from him.»
On Thursday, there was nothing that suggested anything might have been off with the franchise star and one of the league’s best quarterbacks.
Amid the cold and the flakes of snow falling on the team’s practice field, Burrow took the usual reps during the open portion of practice. He’s preparing to make his third start since suffering a turf toe injury that forced him to miss nine games and derailed a promising season.
1:29
Orlovsky: ‘It’s the beginning of the end for Joe Burrow in Cincinnati’
Adam Schefter and Dan Orlovsky break down Joe Burrow’s recent comments about his happiness while playing football and what it means for his Bengals future.
This season marked the third time Burrow has landed on injured reserve because of a serious injury. The other two instances, 2020 (knee) and 2023 (wrist), were season-ending issues. This is the first time he has been able to play in the same season following a surgical procedure.
The circumstances surrounding his return were not what the Bengals hoped for when he went down in Week 2. Instead of being in the thick of the playoff race when Burrow came back for Week 13 against Baltimore, Cincinnati had a 3-8 record. The recent loss to the Buffalo Bills ensured that the 4-9 Bengals will have a losing record for the first time since Burrow’s rookie season.
After that loss, Burrow talked about having fun as a primary objective over the final four games of the regular season.
That prompted a follow-up question four days later, which yielded Burrow’s most introspective answer.
«If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,» said Burrow, who added that his desire to win remains unchanged. «I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.»
Burrow later added that several things were on his mind, from the team’s on-field performance to things in his private life. But he also confirmed that not winning has contributed to his current disposition.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter said teams around the NFL took notice 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, one that also includes a no-trade clause.
«When we talk about football and how fun it is, it’s with the idea of going and winning games with your guys,» Bengals backup QB Joe Flacco told ESPN on Thursday. «Anytime that you’re not doing that to the level that you want to, then yeah, it can be more of a grind.
«I mean, that’s part of the toll that losing takes, and it’s part of the test that football gives you.»
0:38
Why Burrow just wants to have fun playing
Ben Baby summarizes Joe Burrow’s recent news conference that made headlines for the Bengals.
For Burrow, that level has been competing for championships. Whether it was playing high school ball in southeast Ohio, leading LSU for two seasons or reviving Cincinnati’s pro franchise, Burrow has won or played for a championship at all three levels.
With a loss Sunday, the Bengals will be eliminated from playoff contention for the third straight season.
It is a far cry from the scenes in the old Bengals locker room, where Burrow held a cigar and rapped the words to Future’s «Codeine Crazy» at his locker after Cincinnati clinched back-to-back AFC North titles in 2021 and 2022.
Burrow’s emotional tenor has been different since his turf toe injury. He has been more reflective and appreciative of being able to play this season. But the competitive fire to win still remains.
As far as Chase can tell, his old friend doesn’t look like a guy who is unhappy to be playing for Cincinnati this weekend.
«To me, he loves football,» Chase said. «But that’s a him question. I can’t answer that for him at the end of the day.»
