Bengals QB Joe Burrow Is Being Actively Recruited By An Arch Rival
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
A Pittsburgh Steelers legend and former Cincinnati Bengal is trying to recruit Joe Burrow to Steel City.
Throughout a frustrating 2025 season in Cincinnati, speculation ramped up about Burrow potentially requesting a trade. In December, Burrow fueled the trade speculation when he said, “You think about a lot of things” in response to a reporter’s question about playing elsewhere.
The 29-year-old Burrow missed nine games last season with a turf toe injury. Cincinnati finished 6-11, its first losing campaign since 2020. They also missed the postseason for the third consecutive year.
On the latest episode of the “Deebo & Joe” show that he co-hosts with former NFL star cornerback Joe Haden, former Steelers star linebacker James Harrison revealed that he’s been trying to recruit Burrow to Pittsburgh.
Harrison made the comments while he and Haden interviewed former teammate Ben Roethlisberger.
“I’ve been conversing with him on a weekly…bi-weekly basis. You know, we’ve been having conversations…He going to go up there and talk to (Bengals owner Mike) Mr. Brown and see what he needs to do…to maybe get into some black and gold.”
JUST IN: #Steelers legend James Harrison revealed that he has been speaking to #Bengals QB Joe Burrow and recruiting him to Pittsburgh.
Harrison has been telling Burrow for him to win his Super Bowl, he needs to be in black & gold.
👀
(🎥: @deeboandjoe)pic.twitter.com/IbGX97vCt3
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 24, 2026
Burrow probably won’t outright say if he’s trying to orchestrate a trade behind the scenes. No reputable NFL insiders have reported on a potential Burrow trade, either. So take this with a grain of salt, although the idea of Burrow playing in Pittsburgh is undoubtedly fascinating.
Joe Burrow Should Request A Trade If Bengals Falter In 2026
The AFC North should be wide-open in 2026. This is a good opportunity for Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals to re-emerge as Super Bowl contenders, especially if Burrow can stay healthy.
But if things continue to go sideways in Cincinnati? Burrow shouldn’t hesitate to request a trade in 2027. The Bengals have had more than enough time to build a long-term title contender around No. 9. Instead, they’ve been mired in mediocrity.
If the Bengals were to trade Burrow? They can look at the Seattle Seahawks (with Russell Wilson) and the Detroit Lions (with Matthew Stafford) for inspiration. Trade your star QB in his prime. Load up on draft picks. Make the most of them, and you can immediately re-emerge as a contender.
