As a fellow LSU alum and past Cincinnati Bengals left tackle, Andrew Whitworth has gotten to know Joe Burrow well in recent years. The two have hung out off the field, and Whitworth was on the winning side in Super Bowl LVI when the Bengals lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
Whitworth has championed Burrow and often driven the point home about how the organization needed to do more to help him. Cincinnati's front office responded in resounding fashion over the last several months to make this the best NFL roster Burrow has been a part of.
Now that the Bengals have traded for Dexter Lawrence amongst a flurry of other moves to upgrade their defense, we have some fresh thoughts from Whit on what all that means for Burrow's future.
Andrew Whitworth dismisses the notion that Joe Burrow will ever leave the Bengals (with one caveat)
In an interview with D.J. Siddiqi of Casino.ca, Whitworth commented on the trade chatter that continues to swirl around Burrow. Thanks to the Bengals' unusually proactive offseason, much of that buzz has died down, yet Whitworth felt compelled to reaffirm that notion:
"I mean, he's an Ohio guy. [...] I'd be shocked if he's not the guy there, and he's not their future. I just really would. I think it's a fun narrative, and I think it mainly comes because of the Carson Palmer situation in Cincinnati. But we're talking about an Ohio guy. He's got a lot of pride in that city. He's got a lot of pride in being a part of Ohio. And that being his home state, how could a guy have more commitment from an organization? You’ve got to look at it since he got there to who they are now."
Whitworth was in Cincy when the franchise failed to commit hard enough to winning, which triggered star QB Carson Palmer to successfully demand a trade. The Bengals also didn't pay Whitworth what he was worth toward the end of his time with the team, and he proceeded to ride off into the sunset of retirement with a Super Bowl win in tow at his ex-team's expense.
Burrow has indeed always embraced his Ohio roots. As far back as the 2020 NFL Draft, when Cincinnati selected Joe Shiesty No. 1 overall, some talking heads in the national media wondered whether Burrow would pull a John Elway/Eli Manning type of maneuver and avoid the Bengals like the plague.
Instead, as any elite competitor with a soft spot for their home state would, Burrow embraced the challenge of turning the franchise around. Despite a devastating knee injury during his rookie year, Joe Brrr rallied back to lead the Bengals to an AFC title in Year 2, and made the Conference Championship Game the following season.
The Bengals haven't been to the playoffs since then. Two more major injuries have stymied Burrow's momentum, as have subpar defensive units who squandered his best season to date in 2024.
But the philosophy of taking big swings has clearly changed around the Queen City. The never all-in Bengals are as all-in as they've ever been.
Whitworth also commented on how much the Cincinnati brass has altered their approach since Burrow's arrival, climaxing in this offseason's bevy of massive acquisitions. The four-time Pro Bowler emphasized how vital it is now for Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor to make good on all the momentum, too:
"They have changed everything they do since Joe Burrow became their quarterback. [...] What else could they possibly do to show him that they're committed to try to win? [...] I think this is a big year, not just for Joe Burrow. I think it’s a big year for Zac Taylor, and really the direction of the organization in general, because they've taken the swings and now they’ve got to see a team that lives up to those expectations."
Every starter from the Bengals' 2025 offense is back for this year. Taylor is the only AFC North head coach who kept his job. All that continuity should bode well, but on defense, the presence of Lawrence, along with two-time Super Bowl champ Bryan Cook at safety, are just a couple of additions who should make a massive difference on that side of the ball.
Anything less than one playoff victory, and Taylor should be firmly on the hot seat. If the organization has indeed changed, given how talented Cincinnati's roster is and the presence of Burrow, there could be room to upgrade at head coach next offseason if Taylor isn't up to snuff.
That said, Taylor hasn't dropped the ball as the offensive play-caller and overseer. The scouting department let him down by not giving the Bengals enough on defense to truly contend for the Lombardi Trophy.
Burrow has said he embraces the pressure of Super Bowl expectations. I've argued that it's more cathartic than anything else for Joe that he has a legit defense to complement him. I imagine the same goes for Taylor.
As Whitworth implies, none of this means anything if the Bengals don't execute on the gridiron. Any assertions that they won't get weaker by the day, though.
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