Pressure is On: Joe Burrow Turns Up the Heat on Bengals' Front Office

Joe Burrow wants the Bengals to keep their stars.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs off the field smiling after the NFL game on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Cincinnati Bengals defeated Kansas City Chiefs 34-31.

Cincinnati Bengals And The Kansas City Chiefs 463
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs off the field smiling after the NFL game on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Cincinnati Bengals defeated Kansas City Chiefs 34-31. Cincinnati Bengals And The Kansas City Chiefs 463 / Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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CINCINNATI — Star quarterback Joe Burrow went out of his way to send another message to the Bengals front office on Thursday night.

It's a message that has been consistent for nearly two months. Burrow wants the Bengals to pay their star players.

He was asked about Ja'Marr Chase during the Pro Bowl Games and gave a perfect response—not only about Chase, but about other key players that are up for extensions like Trey Hendrickson and Tee Higgins.

“I don’t know what more he could show and do to prove himself," Burrow said on ESPN. "We have several guys like that, who have stepped up for us, and deserve to be paid ... and deserve to be paid what they’re worth.”

Message sent.

This wasn't an in season comment about Higgins being a need. This was on a national stage and a national event. He was asked about Chase's contract situation. He could've just praised the star receiver and moved past it. He didn't.

Instead, he made it clear that Higgins and Hendrickson deserve to be paid and should be paid what they're worth.

"We have several guys like that, who have stepped up for us, and deserve to be paid ... and deserve to be paid what they’re worth.”

Translation: "Extending Chase isn't enough. Keep our star players."

The Bengals franchise completely changed on April 23, 2020 when they took Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

He's the most important person in the franchise. And he's telling ownership and the front office that he doesn't want to lose their top players.

The pressure is on.

All eyes are on Mike Brown, Katie Blackburn and the rest of the Bengals' front office. Are they going to push back or hesitate to get these deals done? Will they modernize their contract structure so they can truly maximize their resources year in and year out?

That's what Burrow wants and he hasn't been shy about voicing his opinion over the past few months.

After four years of being quiet and not pressuring the front office to make a move, Burrow is flexing his muscles a bit.

How the Bengals respond will go a long way toward shaping this era of football in Cincinnati.

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James Rapien
JAMES RAPIEN

James Rapien is the publisher of Bengals On SI. He's also the host of the Locked on Bengals podcast and Cincinnati Bengals Talk on YouTube. The Cincinnati native also wrote a book about the history of the Cincinnati Bengals called Enter The Jungle. Prior to joining Bengals On SI, Rapien worked at 700 WLW and ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati