Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is making quite the commitment before Week 1 officially kicks off.
Prior to the start of the 2026 offseason, the New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams were floated out as possible landing spots for Burrow if he eventually requests a trade. Some fans thought he’d demand a trade after missing the playoffs for a third straight season. Jonathan Jones of The Athletic reported that it’d take a Ricky Williams-type trade package just to get the Bengals’ attention.
With the NFL season set to begin this Wednesday night, Burrow spoke to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com about his outlook for the 2026 season as well as his future in Cincinnati.
Despite all the rumors surrounding Burrow’s future, the former No. 1 pick made it clear he’s not interested in leaving the Bengals.
“I’m here for the long haul. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just trying to bring a now-or-never mentality to the day-by-day process. If you’re not, what are you doing? Attack the day with a championship mindset. The rest will take care of itself,” Burrow told Hobson. “I’m just really proud to be quarterback of the Bengals. I’m happy to be here. I’m proud to represent the city of Cincinnati, state of Ohio, the Brown family. I’m just proud and I want to make everybody else proud, too.”
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Could this be Burrow’s best year yet?
Burrow has made it clear that winning a Super Bowl is his priority this season. For what it’s worth though, some NFL executives are predicting him to win MVP.
“He senses the urgency this year and is talking like it — I think he’s ready to back it up,” an AFC executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “If he stays healthy. Big if.”
If Burrow has an MVP season, that’ll mean the Bengals snap their playoff drought. And if they get into the dance, they’ll be a dangerous out due to their quarterback.
