Mere minutes before kickoff of the 2023-24 season of the NFL, starting quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Burrow, signed a five year contract to become the highest paid player in the league. Three days later, he watched from the sideline.
As eager fans awaited the start of the Detroit versus Kansas City matchup, two record-breaking contracts were signed, both by former Ohio State players. The news of San Francisco’s Nick Bosa broke first. The defensive end signed a $170 million five year extension. Hours later, Burrow’s own five year extension was announced, calling for a salary of $275 million. With these contracts, Burrow became the highest paid quarterback and Bosa the highest paid non-quarterback per year in the NFL.
Burrow’s commitment to the Bengals makes sense; he led the team to Super Bowl LVI, the program’s first in three decades. While the team fell to the Rams during the 2022 NFL championship game, Burrow brought an end to their drought of Super Bowl appearances.
Select fans have expressed concern about Burrow and Bosa’s performances after the finalization of their contracts, worried the men’s skill level would suffer due to a newfound sense of security. Burrow may have proven these critics correct after his below par performance against the Cleveland Browns, falling 3-24. Fans have taken to X, declaring their “embarrassment” after the game.
Evident by the three points on the board, the Bengals offense failed to break through the wall that was the Dawg Pound’s defense. Coaches decided to bench Burrow with six minutes left in the game, and substituted in Jake Browning. Whether this decision was made in an effort to prevent any injuries to the starting quarterback or as a last ditch effort to close the margin of the game, is unknown.
Burrow is aware of his disappointing performance, but is convinced that the rest of the season will have an alternative outcome. “Nobody’s panicking…We’ve been in this spot before. We’ve come back stronger and had great years. So that’s what we’re going to do,” Burrow said, according to news.yahoo.com.
