It's been a heck of a day to be a supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and their all-world quarterback Joe Burrow. Not only did a league-wide survey unanimously declare Burrow as a top-tier QB, but a prominent former NFL field general lavished Joe Brrr with some gaudy praise.
Anyone with eyeballs knows that Burrow doesn't possess the fleet-footed running ability of Lamar Jackson, nor the all-time god-tier arm strength of the likes of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. Where Burrow devastates defenses is in just about every other conceivable aspect of quarterback play.
Some ex-NFL QBs evidently don't recognize or appreciate Burrow's talents for what they are. At least one super knowledgeable ESPN analyst does.
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky ranks Joe Burrow 1st in major QB categories
Even if you shade him for running out the back of the end zone for a safety once upon a time as a Detroit Lions quarterback, you can't help but respect the media career Dan Orlovsky has built for himself.
Whether it's film breakdowns from his own residence, enthusiastic debates on ESPN's main talk shows, or holding his own in the booth from time to time, Orlovsky's versatility and football acumen are most impressive.
That's why I hold his opinion in high esteem when it comes to quarterback play. And on that front, Orlovsky was sure to give Burrow his flowers in his article that dropped on Monday for ESPN, titled, "Ranking NFL quarterbacks by trait: Best arm, accuracy, more."
It was dope to see Orlovsky rate Burrow as the seventh-strongest arm in the NFL, because he's underrated in that department. While Joey Franchise didn't crack the top 10 in terms of pure ability to run the football, he did place seventh in second-reaction ability, aka off-schedule playmaking.
However, when it came to pocket presence, decision-making with the football, throwing mechanics, ball placement, Burrow was No. 1 across the board in those categories. Such superlatives are appropriate for a QB who just put up 4,918 passing yards, 43 TDs to just 9 INTs, and a 70.6% completion rate in 2024.
My favorite blurb from Orlovsky was about Burrow's uncanny ability to navigate a pocket, where he often faces serious peril behind the Bengals' perpetually substandard offensive line.
"A fourth straight list led by Burrow, but who is going to argue with me? Burrow is dominant in creating operational space, even when it's a muddy pocket. The top quarterbacks in pocket presence can consistently and calmly slide or climb to avoid pressure. They can use a 6-inch shuffle here and a 6-inch step there to buy extra time and get off a clean throw. No panic, no desperation. Burrow had the league's fourth-best QBR from inside the pocket (71.7), throwing 35 touchdown passes. Last year, I wrote, 'I don't know that anyone is better than him in the league at working in a phone booth.' I still don't."
Here's a little clip from Orlovsky on Get Up discussing Burrow.
"There's no one better in the league throwing the football right now."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 11, 2025
—@danorlovsky7 on Joe Burrow pic.twitter.com/cKdpC84xcp
Week 1 is almost here, and despite the obvious concerns the Bengals face on their defense — namely the absence of hold-in pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson — Burrow's greatness gives Cincinnati a chance to win every single week.
It's frankly annoying that the Bengals and Burrow are underestimated time and again by the national media. They haven't made the playoffs in the past two years, but Burrow's 2023 campaign was cut short by a major wrist injury, and the defense really let him down last year when he went on an MVP-caliber tear.
We'll see what the new football year brings. For now, if you're a Bengals fan having a case of the Mondays, it's nice to know No. 9 is on your side.