Joe Burrow, when healthy, is one of the best QBs in the NFL.
However, the issue for Burrow is that he has not been healthy throughout his career.
Burrow has been in the NFL for six years. He has played 15+ games in a season just three times. In the other three seasons, which include this season, Burrow has played in 10 or fewer games.
In week 15, Joe Burrow and the Bengals were shut out, losing 24-0 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Burrow had a miserable game, going 25/39 for 225 passing yards, zero passing TDs, two interceptions, and was sacked three times. Ja’Marr Chase was the lone bright spot, catching 10 passes for 132 receiving yards.
The loss ends any chance the Bengals had to make the playoffs. It also should make the Bengals consider shutting Burrow down for the remainder of the season due to the numerous injuries he has been dealing with.
Bengals Show No Heart In Freezing Game
Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow squared off in a big division matchup.
Jackson and Burrow entered the contest undefeated in weeks 15-18, so something had to give. Entering the game, Lamar was 15-0 with 42 total TDs and just four interceptions from weeks 15-18. Burrow was 10-0, averaging 313.0 passing yards per game, 28 total TDs, and six interceptions from weeks 15-18.
Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow. Neither has EVER lost a regular season game once Week 15 hits. It’s now-or-never time, in sub-zero windchills. Who breaks today? #Ravens at #Bengals, 1pm ET @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/HsubVpLJCP
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) December 14, 2025
Lamar and the Ravens steamrolled over Cincinnati.
The Bengals looked disinterested in playing in the freezing temperatures. They showed no heart.
It was one of the worst performances in Burrow’s career. So much so that a reporter asked Burrow after the game, “Do you think your play is slipping down the slope in the wrong direction over the last couple of years?”
Burrow responded by saying, “No, I feel very confident in how I played. Obviously, today, in my opinion, is an outlier. I think I’ve been consistently great for years and years and years.”
Awful: A Bengals reporter asked Bengals QB Joe Burrow if he feels like he is getting worse at football every year.
“Do you think your play… is slipping down the slope in the wrong direction over the last couple of years?”
Burrow has spoken about his mental health issues… pic.twitter.com/LiVUS8Iklz
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 15, 2025
To be fair, the performance on Sunday was a massive outlier for Burrow. He typically plays very well, especially against a Ravens defense that he normally finds success against. Whether it was the freezing temperatures or his mind was just not in it, this was an unusually poor performance from Burrow.
Is Joe Burrow The Next Andrew Luck?
Many are comparing Burrow to Carson Palmer because of playing for the Bengals, but it is starting to feel more like he could be the next Andrew Luck.
Burrow’s recent comments indicate he is simply not happy. He could be dealing with mental issues, but he also seems like he is not enjoying playing football.
Whether it is complete frustration with the Bengals organization, the coaching staff, fellow teammates, or just sick of losing, it feels like Burrow could be contemplating playing football.
The joy for Burrow is not there. The game on Sunday strongly suggests he is just not mentally there.
Combined with his poor performance on Sunday and his recent comments, could Burrow be a candidate to pull an Andrew Luck and retire at a young age out of nowhere?
Here are recent comments from Burrow on how he is unhappy.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I’ve been through a lot. If I’m not having fun, what am I doing it for?” An introspective Joe Burrow Wednesday pic.twitter.com/TokLidMpCM
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 10, 2025
He is rarely healthy, seems completely frustrated with the Bengals, and Burrow could do what Luck did and retire if he is this unhappy playing football.
Money would not be an issue if he were to retire, as he has already accumulated generational wealth.
Cincinnati needs to quickly figure out how to make Burrow happy, or they are at major risk of losing him.
What The Bengals Need To Do To Help Burrow
Cincinnati needs to spend the offseason focusing on how to help Burrow and get him to enjoy football again.
The first thing they need to do is fire head coach Zac Taylor. He has been the head coach for the Bengals since 2019, and it is simply not working with him. This is another year of not making the playoffs. It is time for a coaching change and to bring in a new regime.
The next thing the Bengals need to do is improve the offensive line drastically. Burrow gets hit so much, and this is causing him to miss a lot of time. He wanted Chase and Higgins paid, and the Bengals did, but this could have been a poor idea, as the offensive line is a major issue. Fixing the offensive line so Burrow is not hit as much and can remain healthy is mandatory.
Bringing in the right defensive coordinator with a better scheme. Zac Taylor is not the only coach who needs to go. The defense needs a complete scheme change and overhaul. Burrow has to play a perfect game every contest to give the Bengals a chance to win. This is taking a toll on him.
Cincinnati needs to spend its off-season addressing all these concerns. Burrow is a generational talent that teams dream of drafting. They must do everything possible to make Burrow happy.
Otherwise, if the Bengals do not make changes, they are at risk of Burrow either demanding out or pulling an Andrew Luck and simply retiring from the game of football at a young age.
