Ex-Ohio State QB Joe Burrow Signs Historic Deal with Cincinnati Bengals
Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Joe Burrow will remain in his home state for the foreseeable future, thanks to a record-breaking contract extension.
The Ex-Buckeye signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension on Thursday to remain with the Cincinnati Bengals, and making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
The Bengals took Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Since his name was called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Burrow has proven Cincinnati right in taking him so high.
Burrow has amassed almost 11,800 passing yards, 82 touchdowns and 31 interceptions over his three years in the league. In 2022, Burrow set new single-season highs in completions (414) and touchdowns (35) while maintaining a Quarterback Rating (QBR) of 100+ for the second-straight year.
Burrow is almost as small town as they come. His native town of Athens - where he was named Ohio's Mr. Football - has a population of just under 24,000, making it approximately 72 times smaller than Cincinnati, with 1.75 million inhabitants.
At Ohio State, Burrow never threw more than 30 passes in a season. Burrow was a victim of the Buckeyes' quarterback depth, spending time on the bench behind Dwayne Haskins, J.T. Barrett and others.
A move to greener pastures down south proved to be the best decision for Burrow when he led LSU to a national championship in 2019, his second and final year with the Tigers.
It is amazing to think that a third-string quarterback at Ohio State would go on to win both a Heisman Trophy and a national title, become a No. 1 pick in the NFL, and sign the largest contract in league history in just five years.
Burrow will now have a chance to prove the Bengals right in Sunday's season-opening game against the Cleveland Browns.