Bengals: Joe Burrow shows ultimate respect for his biggest rival
When it comes to playing quarterback in the NFL, not very many in the world are better than Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals. His last two seasons have proven he belongs near the top of the rankings. A quick look at the numbers would even suggest he's as close as there is to Patrick […]
When it comes to playing quarterback in the NFL, not very many in the world are better than Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals. His last two seasons have proven he belongs near the top of the rankings.
A quick look at the numbers would even suggest he's as close as there is to Patrick Mahomes, the two-time MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Super Bowl champion for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Burrow may be close to Mahomes in some ways, but the fourth-year passer put it bluntly when asked who is the best player in the world.
"I don't think there's any argument right now it's Pat (Mahomes)," Burrow said with no hesitation during his final presser before training camp. "Until somebody has a better than he's had, he's the one to knock off."
If anyone knows, it's the guy who's faced him in back-to-back AFC Championship games and won one of them.
Mahomes' 2022 season is worthy of all the praise. He led the league with 5,251 passing yards and 41 touchdowns through the air as the Chiefs secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC and went on to win their second Super Bowl in four years.
The quarterback who came closest to Mahomes in achievement last year was Burrow, who was a Pro Bowler and graded even higher than his Kansas City counterpart as a passer according to Pro Football Focus. Burrow's 91.0 passing grade for the regular season and playoffs was first in the league.
Like the season prior, the AFC title game came down to a game-winning field goal. Mahomes and the Chiefs came out on top, and to the victory goes the spoils. As a former champion at the college level, Burrow knows this all too well.
The two will face off again on New Year's Eve this season, and another playoff meeting is likely as well. Their rivalry is a welcomed development in a league that used to have Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning.
But it is a rivalry out of pure respect, and both Burrow and Mahomes have showcased plenty of it towards the other.
Featured image via © Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
