Joe Burrow raised some alarm bells this week after making comments that clearly showed frustration from the Cincinnati Bengals star.
Burrow made what was viewed as troubling comments on Wednesday, leading many to believe that he either might want to retire early or leave Cincinnati.
"If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing this. I have been through a lot," Burrow said, per WLWT's Charlie Clifford. "If it's not fun, then what am I doing it for? That is the mind set I am trying to bring to the table."
When asked if he's frustrated, Burrow basically said yes, just not directly.
"There are just a lot of things going on right now. A lot of things going on," he said.
He also admitted that his frustration has to do with both football- and personal-related things.
"All of the above," Burrow answered.
Not only has Burrow taken a lot of punishment during his career, which has led to a lot of missed games due to injuries, he has also experienced a lot of losing with the Bengals, a team that has missed the playoffs two years in a row and looks destined to suffer the same fate in 2025.
The former part has many wondering if Burrow could go the way of Andrew Luck, while the latter point makes some believe he could demand a trade.
In her weekly column on Saturday, The Athletic's Dianna Russini touched on the subject of Burrow's future, both as it comes to retirement and staying with the Bengals.
Russini reports that Burrow isn't even close to thinking about retirement and he has no desire to leave Cincinnati, either, despite all the struggles both he and the franchise have gone through in recent years.
The answer is no. Burrow, I’m told, hasn’t asked for a trade or even hinted at stepping away. Of course, he would be a dream come true for any coach trying to win. He’s the quarterback who makes people in buildings whisper, “If I had Joe Burrow …” or “Imagine life with Joe Burrow ….” So if you hear noise about him wanting out of Cincinnati, remember: Everyone wants a Joe Burrow. The chatter about him leaving is mostly fueled by those dreaming of a blockbuster trade.
Burrow is an ultra-competitive guy, so it was always highly unlikely he'd step away from the game at this stage in his career when he has so much more to give.
But one has to wonder if there will eventually be a breaking point for Burrow as it pertains to staying with the Bengals for the long haul.
We cited his competitiveness, and that same trait could make it difficult to stay in Cincinnati if this franchise can't get over the hump.
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