How Joe Burrow is proving to be a selfless teammate in the NFL
By Zach Ragan
Former LSU football quarterback Joe Burrow is turning into a perfect teammate.
Former LSU football quarterback Joe Burrow has taken a beating during his first two games in the NFL.
Burrow, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, has been pressured 52 times. He was sacked three times and hit eight times in the Bengals’ week two loss to the Cleveland Browns.
That’s not what the Bengals want to see happen to Burrow, a player they’re expecting to be the savior of the franchise.
The beating that Burrow is taking, however, isn’t exactly a surprise. Cincinnati’s porous offensive line is one of the main reasons the Bengals ended up with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Obviously, offensive line play will have to improve if the Bengals are going take full advantage of Burrow’s talents.
But if you think Burrow is blaming the poor offensive line play for Cincinnati’s 0-2 start, well you couldn’t be more wrong.
Joe Burrow isn’t about excuses
One of Burrow’s best traits as a quarterback is that he elevates the play of those around him.
But he doesn’t do it by disparaging teammates. He does it by playing at a high level. He does it by holding himself to a higher standard than anyone else.
That’s why Burrow doesn’t look at the sacks as a reason that he hasn’t been able to lead the Bengals to a win. Instead, Burrow looks at the sacks and sees what he should be doing better as a quarterback.
“I’m going to try to extend plays and make plays down the field. If I can get those plays right and not take those sacks or turnovers, that’s kind of the next step for me,” said Burrow this week (via Cincinnati.com)
Next. LSU assistant gets to work way too early. dark
That type of attitude is contagious. Burrow could easily throw shade at his teammates. He’s not, though. Burrow is being a true leader and putting himself at the front of the losses.
It’s a remarkable show of maturity for such a young player. And it’s just another reason that he’s going to be a great NFL quarterback.