Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow stirred up some drama with comments last week that led some to speculate about his eventual retirement, but he feels that he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Burrow declared, “I’m going to be playing [football] for a long time.” He added that he feels like those outside of the Bengals organization want him to hang it up, and he feels that he has to fight to play because he loves the competition.
Burrow was then asked about possibly not being the quarterback of the Bengals next season and replied, “I can’t see that, no.” However, he said, “You think about a lot of things” when asked about possibly playing for another team during his career.
Burrow candidly admitted that the injury woes he’s faced throughout his time in the NFL have taken a major toll on his outlook for his playing career.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I’ve been through a lot, and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? That’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table,” he said last week. “… I think I’ve been through more than most, and it’s certainly not easy on the brain or the body, so I’m just trying to have fun doing it again.”
When asked at the time about appearing to be frustrated, Burrow responded, “There’s a lot of things going on right now.” He was asked if he was referring to something football-related or personal, and he said, “All of the above.”
Burrow fought his way back to return early from toe surgery that was expected to sideline him for at least three months, but his comeback wasn’t enough to save Cincinnati’s lost season. At 4-10, the Bengals have been eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC.
It now sounds like Burrow is committed to seeing things through in Cincinnati, and he will surely be motivated for a bounce-back campaign in 2026. He will try to help the Bengals stop a two-game skid when they meet the Miami Dolphins (6-8) on Sunday.
