Exclusive: Inside Joe Burrow's custom-designed Google Chrome chess set

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has some rather eclectic interests away from the field. Whereas fashion runways and the Met Gala are newer endeavors, courtesy of international fame's perks and tremendous fortune, Burrow was drawn to the game of chess from a very young age.

Google Chrome launched an "Unfinished Projects" exhibit Thursday evening on the High Line in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood. Burrow's custom-built chess set was featured alongside sculptures and other works-in-progress art by music stars Solange Knowles and PinkPantheress.

Didn't have any affiliation between Knowles, PinkPantheress and Burrow on my 2026 bingo card, but here we are. To circle back quickly to the point about chess making such an impression on Burrow in his youth, he said that he first started playing in fourth of fifth grade and that he, "kind of fell in love with it ever since."

Well, we love our quarterback in Who Dey Nation. He moves different. His ambitions have driven the Bengals to relevance, unprecedented action to forge a championship culture, and grown their brand and popularity enough to where they'll be playing in Madrid soon enough.

This Google Chrome exhibit was further proof that Burrow does indeed move different. And yes, the hors d'oeuvres were sublime.

Burrow's passion for chess shines in Google Chrome's 'Unfinished Projects' exhibit on the New York City High Line

As you take in the exhibit video below, the big takeaways are that Joe Burrow used various exotic stones to assemble this chess set, and that a great deal of thought went into it.

This was supposed to be an "unfinished project" but to be real, it looks like a pretty complete chess set to me.

The general, overarching theme of the exhibit seemed to be that, even these uber-famous people have other interests they're passionate about, and if they weren't so busy with all their other obligations and chasing greatness in their high-profile fields, they'd have more time to dedicate to these side-project initiatives.

It's a warm sentiment about not giving up on one's dreams, and feeds the notion that people have more depth/sides to them than you may suspect upon first impression.

Burrow's board is highly intentional and broadens his artistic horizons

Joe Burrow and his design team were able to use the latest cutting-edge technology to mock up renderings of what different stones would look like as part of the set, and in the so-called "unfinished board itself, there was a wide variety: Malachite, Amethyst, Pyrite, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, and notably, Tiger's Eye.

Why do I bring up that last one? Well, it's rather apropos for the Bengals and, of course, the LSU Tigers, whose 2019 national championship team Burrow has compared to this year's Cincinnati squad.

Oh, and there's a link between the Tiger's Eye to the smash-hit movie of the year, Obsession. The actor nerd in me couldn't help but clock that. Look at Joe being all zeitgeisty without even knowing it!

A tiger's eye is meant to represent "courage, willpower and mental clarity" or so Google tells me. All important traits for an elite quarterback, a food critic (IYKYK), or any other occupational pursuit.

OK back on topic. To me, this Joe Shiesty custom chess set is just another outlet for his fashion taste to filter through. It's a reasonable conclusion to draw based on this quote by Burrow featured at the "Unfinished Projects" display:

"To be able to implement my newfound interests, make the chess set visually pleasing, and tell a story about my life, has been a fun process."

Joe Burrow

Burrow is getting increasingly creative of late, even picking up the piano in his free time to unwind from football.

But chess is a little different. As Burrow explains, via the Google Chrome exhibit, he feels it gives him a competitive edge on the field:

"Chess warms my mind up to handle the mental load of football. I play it before games to get my mind going. Football helps me anticipate and react in chess as well."

I mean shoot, Burrow is a straight-up baller. Maybe some struggling quarterbacks should give chess a whirl if they don't play already. Seems to be working very well for Joe Brrr to date.

Burrow's vision for his chess set is to have it be "a work of art you can interact with" as opposed to a mere show piece. Alas, the exhibit had the board (understandably) encased behind glass. Maybe someday, Joe, we can play. I gotta like crash course YouTube tutorials or binge The Queen's Gambit or something though. Think I'll have plenty of time to sharpen up.

All told, it's wonderful to see that Burrow's roots as an introverted, cerebral Ohio kid are intact despite all the acclaim, injury-induced adversity, and other unsavory attention the celebrity spotlight inevitably brings.

Chess would appear to be an indispensable part of Burrow's routine. Anything he can do to keep that mind sharp should bode well for his tiger's eye-channeling determination to deliver the Bengals their first Super Bowl.

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