Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow made a bold comparison between his 2026 team and his college team.
Burrow led the LSU Tigers to a National Championship in the 2019-2020 season. At a June 17 press conference, he said that he sees a similar sense of urgency and level of talent as that team.
“[There’s] a lot of urgency this year, certainly. We have everything we need. We’re deep at just about every single position on the team. We’ve talked in the locker room this year about [how in] years past, you wonder who’s going to make the team, and it was top-heavy, and you wonder about the bottom guys,” he said.
“And this year, it’s guys that were once that top level that were on the team for sure; now there’s a lot of competition at those spots on the 53, 54, 55, at the end of that list. So this is the first year that is really the case, in my opinion, and it’s an exciting place to be when you have too many good players. Now it’s our job to try to find a way to make this a cohesive unit.”
Burrow was then asked if that level of competition increases the pressure to perform on the field.
“I hope so. I think that’s great. Put pressure on guys. I love it. I thrive in it,” Burrow replied. “We'll find out who else does. I know that we have the kind of people that want to be in that spot. I want everybody talking about the Bengals. I want everybody talking about what I’m saying in my press conferences. You go back and watch what I said before the 2019 season at LSU. I feel very similarly about this team. I’m so excited to get started and get moving ... because I feel like there’s so much greatness that we’re going to be able to achieve this year.”
Burrow’s 2019-2020 LSU squad—which won the College Football Playoff National Championship 42-25 over Clemson in 2020—was loaded with talent. The team produced five first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft: Burrow went first overall; edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson went 20th overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars; wide receiver Justin Jefferson went to the Minnesota Vikings at 22nd overall; linebacker Patrick Queen went 28th overall to the Baltimore Ravens; and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire went 32nd overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. In total, 14 LSU players were drafted in 2020.
Ja'Marr Chase went 5th overall to the Bengals in the 2021 Draft, reuniting him with Burrow. Defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin was drafted by the Bengals the same year. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was drafted third overall by the Houston Texans in the 2022 Draft.
Every one of the 22 starters on offense and defense from the 2019 squad, multiple backups, long snapper Blake Ferguson, and kicker Cade York made it to the NFL, at least briefly. Some 14 of them are still active in the NFL. Several others are still playing in the United Football League or other minor leagues.
Burrow said the 2026 Bengals have a similar level of talent across their veteran offseason additions and homegrown talent.
“I think we have guys that have been there and done that, and also guys that have had a lot of individual success and not necessarily the team success that are looking for it. Guys like [defensive tackle] Dexter [Lawrence] and guys like [defensive end] Jonathan [Allen]. And bringing the guys like that in is so advantageous to a lot of different people. Young players trying to improve, makes it easier for coaches. And we have so many guys with so much talent. I’m just excited to put it all together,” he said.
Burrow has also had a taste of glory in the NFL, albeit one that fell short. Burrow and the Bengals went 10-7 and won the AFC North. They won the AFC Championship and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, but lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20. They made it back to the AFC Championship in 2022, but lost to the Chiefs. But the Bengals went 9-8 in 2023 and 2024, then 6-11 in 2025.
Besides his own championship team, Burrow—a noted basketball fan—was asked how the team compares to this year’s NBA champion, the New York Knicks.
“Anytime you get a chance to watch somebody win a championship, that’s an exciting thing. That’s where we all want to be. That’s what we all want to experience, and many of us have. And once you have, then you'll do anything to get back there,” he said.
