The Cincinnati Bengals have been going through it the last two weeks. After a tough Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Bengals also dropped a 24-0 blowout to the division rival Baltimore Ravens.
That loss officially eliminated the Bengals from the playoffs, and things are in dire straits for the organization. Joe Burrow, in the week leading up to this loss, made some concerning comments about his future.
While nothing came of it, his struggles in Week 15 were of notice to Ja'Marr Chase. After the game, as Mike Petraglia of CLNSCincy.com shared, Chase acknowledged that he might need to support Burrow after another tough week.
Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase acknowledges Joe Burrow's struggling mental state
"If I'm being honest, I've never been in a situation with him where I've had to uplift him," Chase said of Burrow, "but going forward, I might need to because he does it for me. You never know what he might be going through. I might need to start doing that."
“If I’m being honest, I’ve never been in a situation with him where I’ve had to uplift him, but going forward I might need to because he does it for me. You never know what he might be going through. I might need to start doing that.” Ja’Marr Chase on Joe Burrow pic.twitter.com/RDwsnlx28m
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 14, 2025
This comment from Chase is both a good and a bad sign. It's a positive one that Chase is willing to be there for his franchise quarterback and help him in any way he needs.
But the fact that Burrow might need such help is a bad sign. Things were concerning before this game, and now, after being eliminated from the playoffs, there are some major long-term concerns with this team.
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While Burrow has emphasized his willingness to play football, and in Cincinnati, his comments, and now these comments from Chase, point to some internal struggles for Burrow.
It's too soon to be worried about Burrow's status going forward, but it cannot be ignored that Chase is stepping forward publicly to come to Burrow's aid if needed.
This 24-0 loss was a brutal way for the Bengals' playoff hopes to come to an end. Burrow played poorly and only added to the negative feelings that he's feeling.
Something needs to change for the Bengals, and at least for now, Ja'Marr Chase is stepping up to aid his quarterback amid some concerning internal struggles.
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