Five things to know about Joe Burrow, the Bengals’ new quarterback

No prospect in the 2020 NFL draft class came with as much hype as former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. 

During his national championship season with the Tigers in 2019, Burrow set the single-season FBS record for touchdown passes (60) and became the second LSU player to win the Heisman trophy.

In the lead-up to this year’s draft, he has been compared to names as lofty as Andrew Luck and even Tom Brady. The Cincinnati Bengals hope he is their long-term answer who can ignite a franchise turnaround.

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As Burrow kicks off his NFL journey, here are five things that you need to know about the new Bengals quarterback:

1. It took time for Burrow to emerge

After committing to Ohio State in 2015, Burrow redshirted his first year. In 2016 and 2017, he got into a combined 10 games behind quarterback JT Barrett and an emerging Dwayne Haskins, who became starter in 2018. Burrow then transferred to LSU, where he played for two seasons. Last year, Burrow led the Tigers to a 15-0 record and a national championship. 

2. His family is stacked with football players

Burrow’s father, Jim, played safety for the University of Nebraska in the mid-1970s, and then was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the eighth round of the 1976 draft. Burrow’s two older brothers, Jamie and Dan, also played college football for the Cornhuskers. But that didn’t help Joe get a scholarship offer. In October, when asked by ESPN what type of recruiting interest he garnered from Nebraska, he said, “None.” 

3. He’ll be playing close to home

Burrow grew up in Athens County, Ohio, less than a three-hour drive from Cincinnati. In high school, he was a two-sport star — earning first-team All-Ohio nods as a basketball player and Ohio’s Mr. Football award in his senior year. After winning the national championship in January, Burrow visited his alma mater during practice.

4. He had a historic run to the national championship

During LSU’s playoff run, Burrow accounted for 14 of the team’s 15 total touchdowns. In the first half of the Peach Bowl alone, he threw for 403 yards and a single-game playoff record seven touchdowns. Burrow added another five more (to go along with one rushing) in the national championship game, winning the offensive MVP award.

5. He helped raise thousands of dollars for his hometown

When Burrow won the 2019 Heisman Trophy, he didn’t just thank his coaches and teammates. He used the opportunity to shed light on the effects of poverty in his hometown of Athens.

“Coming from southeast Ohio, it’s a very, very impoverished area. The poverty rate is almost two times the national average,” Burrow said. “There are so many people there that don’t have a lot, and I’m up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County that go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here, too.” In the wake of his comments, the Athens County Food Pantry received almost $500,000 in donations.