The gridiron football warrants a level of standards from every player on the field, and the quarterback position is often highlighted. The question of who’s the best quarterback in the league is never-ending, as several players have shown exceptional brilliance on the field.
Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, is entering the 2025 season with hopes higher than ever. Burrow posted 4918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns with 9 interceptions throughout the season. He was only the third in history to record 4500 plus yards, 40 plus touchdowns with less than 10 interceptions in a single season. Among the three, he’s the only one who didn’t win an MVP for that performance.
This NFL heartthrob is also entering the preseason fully healthy for the first time since his rookie year in 2020. The shift has been quite visible, and he recently admitted that he has been throwing better than he has ever done. His teammates have rallied with him as well. However, one such rally from Ja’Marr Chase went wrong and ended up shading his quarterback.
The wideout, who secured a major payment with the Bengals, appeared on FanDuel TV’s Up & Adams, where he addressed the recent Madden 26 rankings. Chase suggested that Joe Burrow also deserved a 99 rating after the season he had last year. Burrow was rated 97 by Electronic Arts Sports.
The comments did seem off. However, Chase added and highlighted what makes Burrow special. He praised that the quarterback “has timing, accuracy, placement, the speed, the awareness, the field recognition… audibles in the backfield“
There’s a sweet perception between the lines of these comments that might give the Bengals an edge in the debate for Burrow’s elite status. Burrow could be a complete quarterback, and the defenses choose to neutralize his supporting cast instead of bothering to try and stop the Iowan.
The Cincinnati Bengals start their preseason on Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles. As said, Joe Burrow is entering one of the first preseasons being healthy, and he has been rumored to play more than a few snaps in the coming weeks.
Ahead of the first preseason game, head coach Zac Taylor sat down with Kay Adams, where he praised Joe Burrow. He admitted that the availability during training camps has helped Burrow in a huge way.
If Joe Burrow truly is in better shape, as head coach Zac Taylor insists, and delivers a stronger performance than last season, the Bengals have every reason to expect a return to playoff contention. But coming off back-to-back postseason misses, there’s little room for error.
The AFC North, once again, has shaped up to be cutthroat. The Steelers, despite concerns of a tank, have made some deep moves, including a four-time MVP quarterback being brought into the squad and quality receiving corps as well. The Ravens have added DeAndre Hopkins on top of an existing Derrick Henry, while the Browns have a six-person quarterback room.
