The heartbreaking Super Bowl play still fueling Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow deals with a fair share of nonsensical criticism that comes with the territory of being in his position of power and influence. Some of the disrespect is excessive, but what many don't grasp is that Burrow is a better QB now than the one who led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI and the next AFC Championship Game

In that Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams, the legendary Aaron Donald got a quick pressure right into Burrow's lap on Cincinnati's final play from scrimmage in a 23-20 loss. All the Bengals needed was one yard to move the chains, and on the third consecutive snap, they couldn't gain it.

Iconic as that play is for Donald, who celebrated by gesturing that he wanted a ring on his finger, it should still be a catalyst for Burrow and the 2026 Bengals all these years later.

...Way more than Burrow's No. 44 NFL Top 100 ranking. But we'll get to that at the end once we finish grieving what could've been on the NFL's grandest stage.

The iconic Burrow-Chase Super Bowl moment that never was

The Bengals' hapless offensive line let Donald, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd and the Rams pummel Joe Burrow all game in Super Bow LVI. That o-line allowed seven sacks, and let Samaje Perine get stuffed on a 3rd-and-1 run the play before the one we're discussing.

If not for the final, costly pass protection breakdown, Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase would've combined for the most legendary touchdown in NFL history. Full stop.

Burrow was trying to look off the safety by scanning the left side of the field. He intended to come back to Chase for a one-on-one shot play against Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

First of all, the absolute stones to do that in the biggest moment, right? But it was going to work. Ramsey had fallen down. Chase was wide-open. SI.com's Jay Morrison has the screenshot that serves as Joe Shiesty's ultimate motivation:

A split-second longer for Burrow to throw, and all of a sudden, there's a Lombardi Trophy headed to Cincinnati.

Somewhere else in the multiverse, where the Bengals actually get Chase and Penei Sewell in the same draft with a trade for the ages, a championship parade happened in Cincinnati.

The ghost of Aaron Donald's final pressure (and future?)

It's a great play by Aaron Donald. A legend like him deserves a legacy-punctuating play like this. Bummer that it had to come at Burrow's expense.

But let's not pretend like this is the perfect microcosm that shows just how outmatched Cincinnati was. It's a minor miracle Burrow got them to the Super Bowl, never mind kept the unit competitive amid so many blocking failures. Shoot, Burrow was sacked nine times against the Titans in the Divisional Round, on the road, and still led the team to victory.

Anyway, the players who let Donald pass through on that final play, left guard Quinton Spain and center Trey Hopkins, did not play another down in the NFL after that. And for good reason.

Despite considering a ride off into the sunset on that epic high note, Donald ran it back in LA for a couple more seasons. He's now seriously considering a comeback to get a second ring during the Matthew Stafford-Sean McVay Rams era.

Most adversaries and fellow Super Bowl contenders would be shaking in their boots. Not Burrow. Not these Bengals.

Revamped Bengals offensive line changes the whole equation

For once, Cincinnati actually built a competent starting five in the trenches for Burrow over the last couple years. Before last year's unit started to jell, however, Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2.

That entire group is back for 2026. Ascending right tackle Amarius Mims and second-year left guard Dylan Fairchild are the capable youngsters. Center Ted Karras, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and right guard Dalton Risner bring plenty of experience and wisdom up front.

Not only are the individual pieces good and the continuity ideal, but their chemistry was exceptional down the stretch of last season.

Even with the possibility of Donald's comeback and the Rams' trade for Myles Garrett, Cincinnati is far better equipped to face the Rams in a potential Super Bowl rematch. Or any given opponent for that matter.

Los Angeles' acquisitions of ex-Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson almost feel like a direct counter to the Bengals' elite wide receiver tandem of Chase and Tee Higgins.

What's the say? Great offense beats great defense or something like that? Yeah. Good luck guarding Ja'Marr and Tee, fellas. They've roasted you time and again when you were in Kansas City. Expect more of the same — and with more variety in their route trees, and more out of structure playmaking upside thanks to superior pass blocking.

Burrow's raw motivation trumps peer-voted rankings

So back to the NFL Top 100. It's kind of a joke. The players hastily fill out their surveys each year. It's easy for personal bias to creep in or to have default favoritism toward teammates. I have a feeling Joe Burrow couldn't care less.

Thus, fans shouldn't get too caught up in Burrow's 44th-place ranking. He'd probably agree with it to some degree. The rankings change annually, and the turf toe injury limited Joe Brrr to eight games this past season.

If you ask me, yes, people should know better than to doubt this man by now. Whenever adversity strikes, Burrow emphatically responds. That's why he's a two-time Comeback Player of the Year NFL Honors recipient.

Here's hoping this marks the last time Burrow is ever up for that accolade. I'm ready for prime, healthy Burrow and multiple legit cracks at a Super Bowl.

Armed with a better defense to complement him than in recent years, his best-ever offensive line, and the knowledge that comes with his own improvement as a player since that fateful collision with Aaron Donald on Super Bowl Sunday, Burrow is about to go off to the point where NFL Top 100 rankings are obsolete.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow