Joe Burrow deemed himself ready to go for Week 1 earlier in the week, and he’ll be heading into the season with a landmark new deal.
Just as the NFL’s 2023 season was beginning, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals had reached an agreement on a five-year, $275 million contract, making Burrow the highest-paid player in NFL history on an annual basis at $55 million.
Burrow’s deal, which had been anticipated to happen before the 2023 season started, makes Burrow the fourth quarterback to surpass the other three to become the NFL’s newest highest-paid player since April. The 26-year-old’s contract adds to Justin Herbert’s record-breaking one, which had already surpassed Lamar Jackson’s and Jalen Hurts’.
Burrow will no longer be required to exercise his fifth-year option because of the contract.
His selection as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draught marked the beginning of a successful era that Cincinnati had not before seen. He was already a staple among the best at the position.
In just three short seasons of play, Burrow has passed for 11,774 yards, 82 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions. He has doubled Cincinnati’s prior total of conference title trips dating back to the club’s founding in 1968 by leading the Bengals to the AFC title Game in each of the last two seasons.
The Bengals decided it was appropriate to recognise Burrow for his significant contributions up to this point in his early career, rewarding both themselves and their supporters with the rewards that would undoubtedly follow with Burrow as their captain for years to come.
Now that the question of Burrow’s future in stripes has been resolved, attention can shift to the objective at hand.
Cincinnati is one of many AFC heavyweights, but similar to previous year, when Burrow missed several weeks of the preseason due to an urgent appendectomy, the quarterback missed practically all of training camp because of a calf strain.
The 2022 Bengals lost their first two games before heating up and finishing the regular season with a 12-2 record.
a second-chance Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs that was unsuccessful.
As Week 1 begins what is sure to be a tight competition for homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, it is critical that Burrow and Co. find no slack in effort or execution.
The Bengals will be considering such things at this early stage of the season because of the winning ways Burrow has brought.
They will probably continue to be mentioned in the juggernaut discourse because of Burrow in the years to come even though they must say goodbye to some of their other stars due to increased contract payments.