Anonymous NFL head coach gives Joe Burrow ‘as big a compliment’ as he can give a quarterback
Immense respect for the Bengals’ quarterback.
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow found himself in elite company once again.
A panel of 50 voters including general managers, executives, head coaches and more crafted The Athletic’s 2025 quarterback tier list, and Burrow was revealed to be a Tier 1 QB for the fourth consecutive year. He was voted unanimously for the top-tier for the first time in his career and is one of two this year to earn that unanimous honor along with Patrick Mahomes. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Matthew Stafford fill out the remainder of Tier 1.
One of those anonymous coaches went as far as comparing Burrow to one of the greatest QBs of all time, who also happens to have the same first name.
Joe Burrow earns legendary comparison from NFL coach
Before Burrow became known by some as “Joe Cool,” it was Joe Montana who sported that nickname during his Hall of Fame career. In the eyes of an unnamed current HC, Burrow is the “closest thing” to Montana he’s seen.
“He is the closest thing to Joe Montana that I have seen. That is about as big a compliment I can give you as a quarterback.” — anonymous NFL head coach
It doesn’t get much better than being compared to Montana, the winner of four Super Bowls, two MVPs, and arguably the greatest passer of the 20th century. Montana earned the “Joe Cool” moniker because of his ability to perform under pressure in the biggest moments. You can’t find a scouting report on Burrow that doesn’t include that same attribute.
Accuracy and ability to create plays out of the pocket are other parallels between both Joes, along with a shared partnership with Guinness to combat food insecurity.
The comparison has been drawn before, and Montana supported Burrow being given his nickname from decades ago.
“He can have it,” Montana said in an interview during the 2022 season. “He’s playing really well as a young quarterback, and he’s fun to watch. He’s one of those guys that, when they’re on, you want to turn the TV on. You want to turn that channel and watch him play.”
Burrow has only gotten better in the years since and is firmly established as one of the best in today’s game. He’s got some work to do in terms of filling out his trophy case to match Montana’s, but you don’t see that name linked to many QBs nowadays. The immense respect for him is undeniable.
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