Joe Burrow’s Bengals Future Is Suddenly In Jeopardy
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Tension is building around Joe Burrow’s future in Cincinnati.
One NFL executive told SportsBoom that he thinks Burrow might try to leave the team this offseason because he wants to compete for a championship now. The comment came after another disappointing season for Cincinnati.
Burrow missed most of the 2025 season because of a turf toe injury he suffered in Week 2. The Bengals missed the playoffs again. The last time Burrow played in the postseason was after the 2022 season, when Cincinnati lost the AFC Championship to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Burrow is still under contract with the team through 2029. Even so, some people around the league believe there could be problems ahead.
“I could see him angling to get out of there. I kind of expect it,” the executive told SportsBoom. “That’s a tough place to win, and he really wants to win.”
Pressure Builds Inside The Bengals Organization
The Bengals selected Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020. He quickly changed the franchise’s path. He led Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI in his second season. The Los Angeles Rams beat them in that game. Since then, the team has not returned to the playoffs.
Another unnamed general manager gave a faded idea of the roster. “This is it,” the GM said. He pointed to real concerns on defense and questioned whether the front office will make tough moves. “Dude, they aren’t going out and trading for Maxx Crosby or something like that. The defense sucks. This is the final year that [Ja’Marr] Chase and [Tee] Higgins are both there. It’s going to come to a head, trust me.”
Head coach Zac Taylor will return in 2026 after owner Mike Brown backed him again. That decision adds another layer to the situation. Some around the league wonder how long Burrow will stay patient.
Back in December, Burrow addressed questions about his future. When reporters asked if he could see himself not returning next season, he said, “I can’t see that, no.” A follow-up question pushed him further. Has he thought about not finishing his career in Cincinnati?
“You think about a lot of things,” he replied.
Burrow also voiced frustration with people inside the organization. “It feels like everybody is trying to do everything in their power to make me not play football, and I feel like I’m fighting it, fighting everybody else,” he said. “I just wanna play ball, that’s all I wanna do.”
Those words now carry more weight. The offseason could shape the next chapter for both Burrow and the Bengals.
