Another example of how Joe Burrow is the next Tom Brady
It might be ill-advised but it certainly feels like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the next Tom Brady. Yes, I know, it's way too early to suggest that Burrow can win seven Super Bowls and be a five-time Super Bowl champion. Burrow is still in the infancy of his career and a lot will […]
It might be ill-advised but it certainly feels like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the next Tom Brady.
Yes, I know, it's way too early to suggest that Burrow can win seven Super Bowls and be a five-time Super Bowl champion. Burrow is still in the infancy of his career and a lot will have to go right over the next 15 to 20 years for the former LSU star to even get close to Brady's accomplishments.
But I feel comfortable saying that Burrow shares a lot of the same traits that have made Brady the greatest quarterback of all time.
Burrow isn't the most physically gifted quarterback in the NFL (neither is Brady). Other quarterbacks have stronger arms and can run faster. Burrow, though, has a competitiveness that rivals Brady's. All he cares about is winning. And he makes those around him care about winning just via his presence — very much like Brady.
The leadership skills that Burrow has are incredible. There aren't many quarterbacks that could've pulled the Bengals out of the abyss and led them to their first Super Bowl in over 30 years. Most analysts weren't even expecting the Bengals to reach the playoffs this past season, let alone the Super Bowl — especially with Cincinnati's porous offensive line (Burrow was sacked 70 total times last season).
Burrow, however, has managed to change the entire tone of the franchise. It's gone from just hoping to make the playoffs to expecting to win a championship.
What other quarterback in their second year could do that? The list might start and end with Brady.
On Friday, I noticed another similarity between Burrow and Brady.
This is the time of year when football players who aren't free agents relax a bit. It's one of the rare times when there's a break in the schedule. There are no OTAs or minicamps. It's the best time of year for football players to take vacations and check out for a bit.
Burrow and Brady, however, are spending their time this week working the phones, recruiting players to their respective franchises.
Brady, for example, was instrumental in luring wide receiver Russell Gage to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, Burrow has been dining with various free agent offensive linemen, trying to make the Bengals better in the trenches.
Burrow was directly involved with meeting Alex Cappa and Ted Karras before they signed with the Bengals. And he's trying to work his magic this week with former Dallas Cowboys offenisve lineman La'el Collins.
It's telling that Burrow is spending his week the exact same way as Brady (in fact, Burrow and Brady both talked to Cappa this week, and Burrow won the battle).
Burrow obviously has a long way to go in his career to be Brady. But the fact that he's just two years into his career and he's doing everything that Brady is doing, simply because he's determined to win, shows us he's at least on the right track to being the next Tom Brady.
Featured image via USA TODAY Sports
