Bengals, Joe Burrow agree to five-year, $275 million contract extension
The Cincinnati Bengals have reached an agreement on a contract extension with franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the deal is for five years with a total value of $275 million, making him the highest-paid NFL player in history and under contract through the 2029 season. Selected first overall by the Bengals […]
The Cincinnati Bengals have reached an agreement on a contract extension with franchise quarterback Joe Burrow.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the deal is for five years with a total value of $275 million, making him the highest-paid NFL player in history and under contract through the 2029 season.
Selected first overall by the Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft, Burrow has been everything the franchise dreamt he'd be. He has already become the all-time leader in career completion percentage (68.2%) and amassed 11,774 passing yards and 82 touchdowns to just 31 interceptions in just three seasons. He was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2021 and was a first-time Pro Bowler and finished fourth in MVP voting in 2022, but these are just his regular season accolades.
Since winning the first of his two AFC North titles in 2021, Burrow has led the Bengals to five playoff victories and a trip to the Super Bowl. The Bengals had just five playoff victories in their history prior to drafting the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Playoff champion from LSU.
Burrow's 5-2 postseason record comes with a completion percentage of 67.3%, an average of 260.9 yards per game, and nine touchdowns to just four interceptions on the biggest of stages. Pro Football Focus graded him at 80.2 during his first postseason run to Super Bowl 56, the fourth-best out of 14 starters, and he followed that up this past January by earning the top QB grade at 89.9.
He's done this despite his offensive line being responsible for 26 of the 29 sacks he's taken in his playoff career, according to PFF. That’s an average 3.7 per game that were out of his control and includes outings of being sacked nine times (in a victory!), seven times, and five times.
The numbers say a lot, but Burrow's impact on the Bengals and how they're perceived is almost impossible to quantify. The 26-year old who spent the majority of his childhood growing up in The Plains, OH has made a habit of overcoming adversity in Cincinnati. A pandemic-filled rookie season ended by a catastrophic injury, continuously lackluster o-line play, more freak ailments, and so on have attempted to hinder Burrow from elevating one of the most scrutinized sports teams in America into the limelight of the game.
Burrow has managed to overcome it all. Aside from developing into one of the very best players in today's NFL, he has almost single-handily sparked long overdue evolutions within the Bengals' organization. There may not be a better example right now of the sheer impact a franchise quarterback can truly make.
There's a clear case to be made for Burrow being the second-most valuable player in the game behind Patrick Mahomes, but even the two-time champion and MVP would have to admit the guy who's 3-1 against him has earned the right to sign the most lucrative contract in league history.
Cincinnati will now try and wrap up a successful offseason by extending star wide receiver Tee Higgins before Sunday's season-opener against the Cleveland Browns. Higgins is entering the final year of his rookie contract, three years since being drafted 32 picks after Burrow in what has become one of the Bengals' most rewarding draft classes.
It all started with Burrow, who is staying in the Queen City for seven more years.
Joe Burrow should take comment from Chiefs OC on Monday personally and use it as motivation
Bengals QB Joe Burrow should take comment from Chiefs OC on Monday personally and use it as motivation
Featured image via © Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
