The similarities between Joe Burrow and Andrew Luck just got even eerier

There’s no shortage of intrigue about what goes on between the ears of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. He’s a vicious competitor of the highest order who has extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity.

Mysterious as Burrow often is in front of the media, he’s even more of an enigma when it comes to his seemingly superhuman rehab from soul-crushing injuries. What exactly goes on behind the scenes? How does he do it?

Burrow is now letting folks behind the curtain a little bit after Cincinnati's Thanksgiving win over the Ravens, and the results are pretty eye-opening. Bengals fans will hate to hear Andrew Luck’s name invoked when it comes to Burrow, but judge for yourselves, y’all. See if you don’t see the unavoidable analogy.

Andrew Luck comparisons won’t die after Joe Burrow’s comments on turf toe injury rehab

Albert Breer of The MMQB spoke to Joe Burrow after the Bengals' 32-14 rout in Baltimore. Breer did a deep dive into the superstar quarterback's epic comeback from a major turf toe injury.

At least for the first time I can ever recall on the record, Burrow admitted that the frustration over injuries had gotten to him to the point where his love for football was in a bit of doubt:

"This one happened, and I was like, Man, I just can’t really catch a break. [...] I'm just trying to find the fun in it again. These last three years have been pretty brutal with two injuries, and then the season we had last year. It's been a while since I was able to have fun doing this. And so I'm just trying to find that again. And the only way I can do that is by playing. [...] It's no secret what the narrative around my career is—I'm great when I'm out there, but I haven't been out there as much as everybody else. So one thing I can control with that is when I feel like I'm ready to go, get back out there and keep doing it.”

Burrow really is emulating the Andrew Luck career path, and it's starting to show in the way he talks about the sport. I wrote about the Burrow-Luck similarities back when Joe Brrr went down in Week 2, with the key caveat that Burrow would never let a cycle of injuries and rehab cut his career short like Luck did when he announced his abrupt retirement in August 2019.

You tell me if what Luck said at his retirement press conference, via PBS.org, sounds juuuuuuust a bit like what Burrow said in the Breer story.

"For the last four years I have been in this cycle of injury, pain, rehab, injury — injury, pain, rehab. And it's been unceasing and relenting — unrelenting, both in season, both in — and off-season. And I have felt stuck in it. And the only way I see out is to no longer play football. It's taken my joy of this game away."

Luck's injury rap sheet was indeed extensive, much like that of Joe Burrow's.

Think about Burrow's football life for a second. Ever since high school, it's been an unrelenting struggle of, like, Odyssian proportions.

Three years of riding the bench with minimal playing time at Ohio State. Still having the borderline delusional confidence to grind hard enough and stay ready. Transfer to LSU. Mediocre first season as a starter. Day 3-caliber draft prospect.

Then all of a sudden, boom! National championship. Heisman Trophy winner. The best college football season I've ever seen from a passing efficiency standpoint. And as the inevitable reality of being the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 comes into focus, the COVID-19 pandemic hits.

Burrow enters the NFL on a poverty franchise, doing offensive install and practices via Zoom. Gets his knee absolutely shredded as a rookie. Warriors his way back to lead the Cincinnati Freaking Bengals to Super Bowl LVI, where they come within three points of their first-ever Lombardi Trophy.

Overcomes a training camp exploded appendix, ensuing rust, and a 0-2 start to make the AFC Championship Game. Gets within three points of another Super Bowl appearance.

As if the career-threatening knee injury wasn't enough, Burrow's torn right wrist ligament put his gridiron future in jeopardy, too. All he did was charge back from that, put together an MVP-worthy 2024 campaign, only to have the defense let him down at every turn and miss the playoffs for a second straight year.

Unless Burrow runs the table the rest of the way to go, you know, 14-0 in his last 14 starts, the Bengals will miss the postseason three times in a row.

At least to this point, Burrow has defied the odds at every turn dating back to his Ohio State days. Think about how much of a long shot it was for him even as a true junior to transform into an elite NFL QB. It's a testament to Burrow's mindset and intrinsic drive to get to where he is now, especially amid so many injuries.

I just wonder how much one man can take. How long will Burrow want to put the Bengals on his back? What if he has yet another injury?

Suppose it's fitting around Thanksgiving to be grateful for every second we get to watch Joe Burrow suit up in a Bengals uniform. Because who knows how long it'll last.

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