Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow made waves leading up to Week 15's 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens when he publicly questioned his joy for the game of football.
Not that the sport itself that Burrow has invested so much in, and that has given him so much, is the root of the problem. It's more about dwelling on the star-crossed outcomes of myriad injuries and persistent losing.
The Bengals are now out of playoff contention. Burrow plans to start the last three games. Nevertheless, it is fair to question just how fun this is for him anymore.
Jeff Saturday reads between the lines of Joe Burrow's disastrous Week 15 performance
Longtime Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday snapped the ball to Peyton Manning for the vast majority of his career. Unfortunately for Indy, when the time came to pivot off Peyton for another No. 1 overall pick in Andrew Luck, the foundation around the generational QB was poor.
Indianapolis didn't do enough to support Luck, whose cycle of injuries and rehabbing robbed him of his love for the game. It ultimately triggered an early retirement.
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Given how often the Bengals have failed Burrow throughout his tenure and his alarming medical history, the comparisons to Luck won't go away.
But in assessing one of the worst games Burrow has ever played in Week 15's home shutout, Saturday wasn't dwelling so much on what Cincinnati has or hasn't done. His commentary was more about how Burrow's performance mirrored his remarks about having fun.
"It's concerning, and it's much bigger, in my opinion, than football — than the Bengals. Can he find joy in playing? It matters. You saw it. And when a guy says that kind of stuff, and then goes out and has that kind of performance, you definitely link them together. [...] It's scary, because a really good one doesn't feel like he's loving the game that he's playing."
"It's concerning, and it's much bigger, in my opinion, than football."@SaturdayJeff shares his thoughts on the Bengals and Joe Burrow 👀 pic.twitter.com/goKqJ6Mx1G
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 16, 2025
Saturday was the linchpin of an offensive line that kept Manning clean for much of his career, allowing him to avoid major injury throughout his prime. Cincinnati didn't prioritize protecting Burrow as much, nor did Zac Taylor collaborate with his QB to build a system that kept him safer.
The hits have accumulated to the point where Burrow almost sounds punch-drunk from all the battering. It's almost more mental and emotional than physical at this point.
We've seen that Burrow has the physical capacity to rally back from injuries. That's how you win Comeback Player of the Year twice already. What seems to be adding up is the mental toll it's taking on Joe Brrr to carry a franchise that won't do everything it takes to be an elite winner.
This offseason can't come soon enough. Not because the Bengals are expected to do something radical like go all-in for a Super Bowl. Simply because Burrow can get a break.
Stay healthy the rest of the way, Joe. Please. Otherwise, this no-fun cycle will just keep repeating itself.