After missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season, star quarterback Joe Burrow is calling for change within the Cincinnati Bengals.
"We don't want to be in the spot we are in now, so something's got to change," Burrow said on the last day of 2025. "Whether it's players we have continuing to improve and get better and play championship-caliber football or bringing in guys that will or whatever it may be. Obviously, something has to [change]."
Burrow has been vocal about his frustrations in recent weeks. He’s also made some cryptic comments that have led people to question his future in Cincinnati.
While Burrow hasn’t requested a trade away from the Bengals, or threatened retirement, these latest comments seem like a final call to action for the organization. He’s urging the team to make changes before it’s too late.
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A coaching change would be a good start for Cincinnati, but that seems unlikely. Zac Taylor apparently has an extremely long leash, and he’s expected to be back next season.
So, if the coaches aren’t going to change, the players will have to, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Cincinnati’s defense has consistently let the offense down during the three-year playoff drought and it’s clear that the unit needs an infusion of talent.
For the Bengals, that means going out and adding impact defenders in free agency, and not being scared to spend money in order to do so. Steps should be taken to shed the "frugal" reputation that the franchised has garnered. It also means adding talent through the draft, and committing more resources to talent evaluation.
The unit isn’t going to turn into the league’s best overnight, but even having a league-average defense would give the Bengals a much better chance of being consistently competitive in the AFC.
Burrow has been patient, and he’ll be back in a Bengals uniform in 2026. But, if a year from now we’re discussing how Cincinnati has missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, that patience could run out.