Bengals QB Joe Burrow reveals surprise mentors helping him handle massive fame

From a pure football and organizational standpoint, arguably nobody in the NFL bears more weight on his own shoulders than Cincinnati Bengals superstar Joe Burrow.

Since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Joe Brrr has elevated the Bengals franchise from a bottom-rung operation to international prominence. Being an elite pro quarterback comes with a lot of other noise that Burrow has to navigate, though.

So who does Burrow lean on for guidance when it comes to dealing with the noise and other obligations that the life of an uber-famous athlete entails? His answers might surprise you.

Joe Burrow leans on Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, and Odell Beckham Jr. to navigate spotlight

In an exclusive interview with Good Morning Football host Kyle Brandt, Burrow explained the top athletes he seeks counsel from, including NBA superstar Kevin Durant, the GOAT QB himself Tom Brady, and fellow LSU alum Odell Beckham Jr.

"Odell...I think I learned how to move around and move efficiently a lot from him. Kevin Durant, I've developed a nice relationship with, and he's a good friend now, and we talk a lot, about a lot of different things. And whenever I see Tom, I try to get something out of him. [...] He has a lot of wisdom to share, and you don't want to be the guy that's just constantly like, 'Hey how do you do this? How do you do this? What'd you do there?'"

Did not have Kevin Durant as a prime Joe Burrow mentor on my bingo card. However, I do get how they could draw some parallels to their athletic experiences. Durant has had a tough time with the whole "legacy" talk, and perhaps doesn't get his due since he fled his original team in Oklahoma City to coast to a couple NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors.

How does that relate to KD? Well, Burrow is universally regarded as an elite QB alongside the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen. However, just about everyone has him ever so slightly below that trio, and to me, Burrow doesn't get the same respect. Similar to how KD doesn't garner the same acclaim as, say, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and other greats from his generation.

The LSU connection between Odell and Burrow makes some sense, despite the fact that Beckham isn't on an NFL team as of now.

OBJ was, for my money, the most famous NFL player on the planet for a time when he was at his peak. Beckham's career unfortunately hasn't been the same since he tore his ACL in Super Bowl LVI against Burrow and the Bengals. However, OBJ hauled in a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford that helped lift Los Angeles to a 23-20 victory. That secured his place in NFL lore, even if his lack of longevity doesn't get him into the Hall of Fame someday.

For all this talk about legacy, nobody's is as towering as Tom Brady's. He is the ultimate standard as far as leadership, on-field achievement, and going about his business the right way behind the scenes.

It appeared Brady took a shot at Burrow not long ago for not doing enough to help the Bengals win, as far as engaging with the personnel department to bring in players. I thought Brady missed the mark with his critique, since Burrow has stayed vocal when it comes to Cincinnati retaining and paying its own players.

In any event, it's great to hear that Burrow has some trusted mentors he can lean on to keep his eyes on the prize — not that he seems to need help with that anyway — amid all the chaos that superstardom can entail. Here's to another great season where the Bengals reward Burrow's elite performances with a playoff berth, and hopefully that first elusive Lombardi Trophy for Cincinnati.

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