The Cincinnati Bengals are already in a precarious position, sitting at 4-9, three games back of the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) and just outside of the playoff picture.
That’s why Joe Burrow’s surprising comments during Wednesday’s media session sent shockwaves through the NFL.
Burrow, returning from a turf-toe absence that limited most of his 2025 season, said he’s been “doing some reflection” and that if football stops being fun, he has to reassess why he’s playing.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” Burrow said. “I’ve been through a lot, and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for. That’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.”
Ja’Marr Chase, Burrow’s longtime friend and college teammate at LSU, was asked about the comments on Thursday.
“I thought this was an AI,” Chase said. “At the end of the day, I see him the same every day. To me, he loves football. But that’s a him question. I can’t answer that for him.”
“From what I see, I see the same person every day. He comes to work. He loves work. He doesn’t look like he’s bummed to be here… Honestly, nothing’s wrong with a little emotion at the end of the day, especially coming back from injury. The man loves the game.”
“The narrative that y’all are trying to paint on him right now, I don’t see it,” Chase added.
Through Week 14, Burrow has thrown for 734 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions across four appearances, including a recent 284-yard, four-TD performance against Buffalo.
Yet the Bengals are 4-9, hampered by one of the league’s worst defenses and significant injuries to core players, including Tee Higgins (concussion, questionable) and Trey Hendrickson (hip/pelvis, placed on IR).
After their 2021 Super Bowl appearance, the Bengals, led by Burrow and Chase, went 12-4 in 2022 before posting back-to-back 9-8 seasons in 2023 and 2024, and now sit on the verge of their first losing campaign since 2020.
That backdrop helps explain why Burrow’s quiet line about “fun” drew outsized attention.
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At this point, the Bengals’ only realistic playoff path requires winning out and getting help elsewhere.
Their next four opponents — Baltimore, Miami, Arizona, and Cleveland — include two teams still fighting for seeding and one familiar divisional test (Baltimore) that effectively decides whether Cincinnati remains alive.
Given the circumstances, ESPN recently gave the Bengals a mere 3% chance of making the playoffs.
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