Joe Burrow’s Past Explains Why His Future is so Bright

Fansided’s Patrick Schmidt dove into Joe Burrow’s past, speaking to those who were there before the fame, to find out what makes his future so bright. 

The majority of Cincinnati Bengals’ fans know every intimate detail of Joe Burrow’s recent past. A transfer from Ohio State, the Athens native found a new home in the bayou with LSU and set the sports world on fire.

In his seemingly impossible ascension, he ran through the college football gauntlet and came out on top as the Heisman Trophy winner, a national champion, and a hero to many.

While his story is the type to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and earn a feature on ESPN 30-for-30, Burrow’s tale begins much earlier. Nobody accomplishes that kind of success without the proper roots.

In FanSided’s “Pride of The Plains: Joe Burrow“, Senior Editor Patrick Schmidt went back to where it all started for Burrow to find out what sets him apart from the rest.

From his love for his hometown, to his work ethic in the classroom, even to his scrappy basketball career, it all explains the way Burrow laid the foundation for his current and future success.

When speaking to Burrow’s former high school principal and physics teacher, Chad Springer, Schmidt uncovered that he shines off the field just as much as he does on it,

"“There were things about him you would want in any kid. Not just that leadership quality but he would walk some of our students with disabilities to class, make them feel a part of the group. Or if you’ve got a kid who’s kind of on their own, he would pick them to be on his basketball team. That’s the kind of kid he is.”"

Many have the image of Burrow puffing on a cigar in celebration of defeating Clemson ingrained in their memory. But anecdotes like the one above show that before the championship hardware and talk of being the number one overall pick, Burrow was just a kid from Athens, doing the right things, setting an example, and paving the way to accomplish his dreams, without the spotlight.

Fast forward to present day and Burrow is, in all likelihood, preparing himself to exchange his purple and gold college uniform for the orange and black stripes.

Despite the consensus from many that he’ll be the first player off the draft board, chatter from his doubters still fills the air. The biggest knock on him is that he’s a “one year wonder”.

However, if you go back to his roots, you’ll find that he’s always had the superstar potential. And if you speak to those who were there, you’d find that despite what many say, they have faith that he can continue his excellence in the pro ranks, which could ultimately lead the Cincinnati Bengals back to relevance.

In the words of Burrow’s old basketball coach, “It’s just Joe. It’s what he does. He wins. He excels. Everybody likes him.”