CINCINNATI – Bengals quarterback Joe Burroughs left no room for misinterpretation. Exclusive interview with the group’s website Tuesday.
For all the noise from Cincinnati about how he might be trying to force his way or leave the line, the franchise quarterback has set his record straight.
“I mean what I say,” Burrow told Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson. “I’m here for the long haul, I’m not going anywhere.”
Barrow was signed through the 2029 season with an extension duly posted three years ago.
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The latest verbal sparring comes as Burrow confirmed during a recent news conference that he views this season as “now or never.” He made clear in Tuesday’s presentation the urgency he feels on the top prospects for 2026.
“I’m trying to bring that now-or-never mentality into my daily routine,” Burrow said. “If you’re not, what are you doing? Attack the day with the mindset of a champion, and the rest will take care of itself.”
Barrow has battled injuries throughout his career and enters his seventh NFL season after playing in more than 10 games in a season.
He expressed his excitement about a season where he doesn’t expect to throw as often as he has in recent years. In his final season in 2024, he struck out a team-record 725 times.
“We don’t have to drop the 600-ever,” Burrow said. “I don’t think we’re going to do that. If we have to, I’m ready for it. Being under our belt helps us win games like this. We’ve played different ways over the years. We’ll be ready for it no matter what the defense throws at us,” he said.
After missing eight games last season due to toe surgery, he followed the mental battle back from another serious injury to talk about Burrow’s joy.
Discussed in the December press release Seeking his happiness It has sparked speculation as to how much longer he wants to play in the game and how happy he will be.
Burrow, who turns 30 in December, told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that he thought he wouldn’t play much longer. After that, his attitude changed.
“Now I’m like, ‘I’m just going to go until I can’t do it anymore.'” It’s fun to do. What else would I have done? “Before, I wanted to go and maybe play a different sport after two Super Bowls, but now I think, ‘I’m going to play until I can.'”
Now he made it clear that he not only wants to play for a long time, but also plans to do so in Cincinnati.
“I’m proud to be the quarterback of the Bengals. I’m just happy to be here,” Burrow said. Proud to represent the city of Cincinnati in the state of Ohio, the Brown family. I’m just proud, and I want to make everyone else proud.”
