Joe Burrow's personal taunting story perfectly explains his supportive stance on the issue
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has recently become a champion for taunting. He made his stance known watching this year's AFC Championship, and double-downed on his take during his appearance on New Heights. If you're getting a check, you can check others on the field."I think if you're getting paid to play football, you can taunt," […]
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has recently become a champion for taunting. He made his stance known watching this year's AFC Championship, and double-downed on his take during his appearance on New Heights.
If you're getting a check, you can check others on the field.
"I think if you're getting paid to play football, you can taunt," Burrow said on Pardon My Take. "I'm all for not taunting in college and high school, but once you get paid to play, I think we should be able to taunt."
Taunting becomes a topic of conversation every time an NFL referee decides to enforce the rule and take 15 yards away from a player celebrating his accomplishment at the expense of his opponent.
Burrow, who also wants to bring back Randy Moss' fake moon touchdown celebration, believes it's too much and isn't protecting anyone's feelings.
"Nobody's going to get their feelings hurt," Burrow explained. "We're all big boys. We're going to be okay. And if you're in the locker room and you hear the stuff we say to each other in there, it is a million times worse than like pointing at a guy and being like 'First down!'"
He would know. It happened to him on the biggest of stages.
Burrow revealed that Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones taunted Burrow following the 2022 AFC Championship based off an Instagram caption from a year prior.
"So when we beat the Chiefs in 2021 in the AFC Championship, I posted a picture 'Cartier glasses I won't even peek at you,' shout out Lil Baby, and then the next year, Chris Jones gets a sack to basically clinch the game and he runs up to me after and yells 'Cartier glasses I won't even peek at you!'
"I just smiled and dapped him up. I was like 'You got me!'"
And that was that. No flag was thrown on the play because there was no need. Just two elite players expressing emotions in a high-leverage moment. If Burrow doesn't need his ego protected by the zebras on the field, no one does.
Burrow is one of the NFL's biggest stars, but it's going to take a lot more than his influence for the league to change its stance on taunting.
Kudos to him keeping it real, regardless.
Joe Burrow opens up about recent personal growth that will benefit Bengals fans and the entire NFL
We’re set to get a more open and personable version of Cincinnati’s quarterback.
