Joe Burrow facts for kids
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Burrow in 2022
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| No. 9 – Cincinnati Bengals | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | December 10, 1996 Ames, Iowa, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Athens (The Plains, Ohio) | ||||||||||||
| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024 | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Joseph Lee Burrow (born December 10, 1996) is an American football quarterback. He plays for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the LSU Tigers. During his senior year at LSU, he won the Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff National Championship. The Bengals chose him as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Burrow had an amazing season in 2021. He led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990. This ended the longest playoff drought in major North American sports. He also led them to Super Bowl LVI. For his great return from injury, he won the Comeback Player of the Year award. In 2023, Burrow signed a huge contract, which was the largest in NFL history at the time. He helped the Bengals win their division two years in a row for the first time ever. In 2024, even though the Bengals missed the playoffs, Burrow led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. He won his second Comeback Player of the Year award. Fans and sportswriters call him "Joe Cool" and "Joe Brrr" because he stays calm under pressure.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Joe Burrow was born in Ames, Iowa, on December 10, 1996. His father, Jim Burrow, was a football player and coach for over 40 years. Joe's family has a long history of playing sports. His grandmother set a basketball record in Mississippi in the 1940s. His grandfather played basketball at Mississippi State. His uncle and two older brothers also played football.
Joe started playing youth football as a quarterback because no one else on his first team could play the position. When he was five, he went to the 2002 Rose Bowl because his dad was a coach for the University of Nebraska. His family moved a few times for his dad's coaching jobs. They settled in Athens, Ohio, when Joe was in middle school.
Joe went to Athens High School from 2011 to 2014. He led his school to three playoff appearances. He also helped them win their first seven playoff games ever. During high school, he threw for over 11,000 yards and 157 touchdowns. He also ran for over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns. In 2014, he won the state's Mr. Football Award. He was also named Gatorade Player of the Year. His team had an impressive 14–1 record that season. Joe was also a great basketball player. He was named first-team all-state as a point guard in his senior year. He was considered a top football recruit and decided to play for Ohio State.
In 2019, the Athens City School District renamed the school's football stadium after Joe Burrow. He still feels a strong connection to his hometown. During the 2020 NFL Draft, he wore a T-shirt with the number "740." This is the area code for Athens, Ohio.
College Football Career
Ohio State Buckeyes (2015–2017)
Joe Burrow started his college career at Ohio State in 2015. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player, meaning he practiced but did not play in games. For the next two years, he was a backup quarterback. He played in 10 games, completing 29 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2018, Joe wanted to be a starting quarterback. He realized he might not get that chance at Ohio State. So, he decided to transfer to Louisiana State University (LSU) in May 2018. He had already graduated from Ohio State in three years. This meant he could play for LSU right away.
LSU Tigers (2018–2019)
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2018 Season
In his first year at LSU in 2018, Joe became the starting quarterback. He led the Tigers to a 10–3 record. This included a big win over UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. LSU finished the season ranked No. 6 in the country. Joe ended the season with 2,894 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also ran for 399 yards and seven touchdowns.
2019 Season: Heisman and National Championship
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The 2019 season was incredible for Joe Burrow and LSU. He was the starting quarterback again. He led LSU to an undefeated regular season. He broke many school and conference records for passing yards and touchdowns. One of his most famous games was against Alabama. LSU won 46–41 in a thrilling game.
On December 14, 2019, Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy. This award goes to the most outstanding player in college football. He won by the largest margin of votes in the award's history. In his acceptance speech, he talked about poverty in his hometown. After his speech, the local food bank received over $450,000 in donations. Joe also won many other awards, including SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
In the College Football Playoff semifinal game, LSU played Oklahoma. Joe threw for seven touchdowns in the first half alone! LSU won 63–28. Many people called this one of the greatest performances in college football history.
In the National Championship Game against Clemson, Joe threw for 463 yards and six total touchdowns. LSU won 42–25, and Joe was named the game's offensive MVP. He finished the 2019 season with 60 passing touchdowns. This broke the record for the most in a single season in college football's top division. He also set a record with 65 total touchdowns. Many sportswriters said his 2019 season was the greatest ever by a college quarterback.
College Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| CFP national champion | |
| Led the NCAA | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||
| 2015 | Ohio State | 0 | 0 | — |  Redshirted |
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| 2016 | Ohio State | 5 | 0 | — | 22 | 28 | 78.6 | 226 | 2 | 0 | 169.9 | 12 | 58 | 4.8 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | Ohio State | 5 | 0 | — | 7 | 11 | 63.6 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 110.2 | 3 | −5 | −1.7 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | LSU | 13 | 13 | 10–3 | 219 | 379 | 57.8 | 2,894 | 16 | 5 | 133.2 | 128 | 399 | 3.1 | 7 | ||
| 2019 | LSU | 15 | 15 | 15–0 | 402 | 527 | 76.3 | 5,671 | 60 | 6 | 202.0 | 115 | 368 | 3.2 | 5 | ||
| Career | 38 | 28 | 25–3 | 650 | 945 | 68.8 | 8,852 | 78 | 11 | 172.4 | 258 | 820 | 3.2 | 13 | |||
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | Wonderlic | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1.92 m) |
221 lb (100 kg) |
30+7⁄8 in (0.78 m) |
9 in (0.23 m) |
34 | ||||||||
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
2020 Season: Rookie Year
The Cincinnati Bengals chose Joe Burrow as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He was the third Heisman-winning quarterback in a row to be picked first. On July 31, 2020, he signed a four-year contract worth $36.1 million. Many people thought he would win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Joe was the only rookie quarterback from his draft class to start in Week 1. In his first game, he threw for 193 yards. In his second game, he threw his first career touchdown pass. He also set an NFL record for most completions by a rookie quarterback in one game. Two weeks later, he earned his first NFL win. He also became the first rookie quarterback to throw for over 300 yards in three straight games.
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Sadly, in Week 11, Joe suffered a serious knee injury. He tore his ACL and MCL, among other damage. This ended his rookie season. He had surgery in December but still studied game films. He finished his rookie year with 2,688 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. His low interception rate was the best for a Bengals rookie quarterback ever. The Bengals finished the season with a 4-11 record.
2021 Season: Comeback and Super Bowl
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Joe made a full recovery from his injury and was ready for Week 1 of the 2021 season. In Week 4, he threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns. He earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.
In Week 16, Joe had an amazing game against the Baltimore Ravens. He threw for a career-high 525 yards and four touchdowns. This was the fourth-most passing yards in a game in NFL history. It also broke the Bengals' franchise record. This win helped the Bengals get their first winning record since 2015. Joe was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week again.
The next week, the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Joe threw for 446 yards and four touchdowns. This win helped the Bengals win their division and make the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Joe finished the season with 4,611 passing yards and 34 touchdowns, both Bengals records. He also led the league in completion percentage. He was named Comeback Player of the Year.
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In his first playoff game, Joe led the Bengals to a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. This ended the Bengals' playoff win drought since 1990. In the next round, they beat the top-seeded Tennessee Titans. Joe was sacked nine times in that game, but still led his team to victory. In the AFC Championship Game, the Bengals beat the Chiefs in overtime. They came back from an 18-point deficit. This win sent the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI, their first Super Bowl since 1988.
In the Super Bowl, Joe threw for 263 yards and a touchdown. However, he was sacked seven times, and the Bengals lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23–20. Joe set a playoff record for most times sacked in a single postseason.
2022 Season: Pro Bowl and Division Title
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Before the 2022 season, Joe had emergency surgery to remove his appendix. In Week 1, he had a tough game with five turnovers. But he quickly bounced back. In Week 6, he returned to Louisiana to play the New Orleans Saints. He threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a win. The next week, he threw for 481 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. This was his fifth game with over 400 passing yards, an NFL record for a player's first three seasons. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
In Week 13, Joe led the Bengals to a win over the Chiefs again. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. In Week 15, the Bengals were down 17–3 at halftime against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Joe led an amazing comeback, scoring 31 unanswered points to win 34–23. The Bengals won their division for the second year in a row. Joe finished the season with 4,475 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. The Bengals finished with a 12–4 record, their best since 2015.
In the playoffs, Joe led the Bengals to wins over the Ravens and Bills. They reached the AFC Championship Game again. But they lost a close game to the Chiefs, who went on to win the Super Bowl. Joe was ranked 6th among NFL players by his peers.
2023 Season: Injury and Support
Before the 2023 season, Joe had a calf strain during training camp. On September 7, 2023, he signed a huge five-year, $275 million contract extension. This made him the highest-paid player in NFL history based on annual salary.
In Week 8, Joe had a great game against the 49ers, completing 87.5% of his passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns. He also set a new career high with 19 straight completed passes.
Unfortunately, on November 16, Joe suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist. This injury ended his season. He had surgery soon after. Even though he couldn't play, Joe stayed involved with the team. He supported his teammates, especially backup quarterback Jake Browning, from the sidelines.
2024 Season: Second Comeback Player of the Year
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Joe fully recovered from his wrist surgery for the 2024 season. The Bengals started 0–3, but Joe gave a special pregame speech before Week 4. It motivated the team, and they won their first game.
In Week 5, Joe threw for 353 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. He continued to play well, leading wins over the Giants and Browns. In Week 9, he threw five more touchdowns against the Raiders. In November, he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
Even though the Bengals lost some close games, Joe had many strong performances. He had an eight-game streak with at least 250 passing yards and three touchdowns, which is the longest in NFL history. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for December. The Bengals ended the season with a five-game winning streak, but they just missed the playoffs. Joe earned his second Pro Bowl nomination.
Joe finished the 2024 season with career bests of 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. He led the NFL in both categories. He became only the third quarterback ever to have over 4,500 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season. Joe won the Comeback Player of the Year Award for the second time. He is only the second player to win this award twice.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL record | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacked | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2020 | CIN | 10 | 10 | 2−7−1 | 264 | 404 | 65.3 | 2,688 | 6.7 | 67 | 13 | 5 | 89.8 | 37 | 142 | 3.8 | 23 | 3 | 32 | 231 | 9 | 4 |
| 2021 | CIN | 16 | 16 | 10−6 | 366 | 520 | 70.4 | 4,611 | 8.9 | 82 | 34 | 14 | 108.3 | 40 | 118 | 3.0 | 12 | 2 | 51 | 370 | 5 | 2 |
| 2022 | CIN | 16 | 16 | 12−4 | 414 | 606 | 68.3 | 4,475 | 7.4 | 60 | 35 | 12 | 100.8 | 75 | 257 | 3.4 | 23 | 5 | 41 | 259 | 6 | 3 |
| 2023 | CIN | 10 | 10 | 5−5 | 244 | 365 | 66.8 | 2,309 | 6.3 | 64 | 15 | 6 | 91.0 | 31 | 88 | 2.8 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 180 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 | CIN | 17 | 17 | 9–8 | 460 | 652 | 70.6 | 4,918 | 7.5 | 70 | 43 | 9 | 108.5 | 42 | 201 | 4.8 | 47 | 2 | 48 | 278 | 11 | 5 |
| Career | 69 | 69 | 38–30–1 | 1,748 | 2,547 | 68.6 | 19,001 | 7.5 | 82 | 140 | 46 | 101.2 | 225 | 806 | 3.6 | 47 | 12 | 196 | 1,318 | 33 | 15 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacked | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2021 | CIN | 4 | 4 | 3−1 | 97 | 142 | 68.3 | 1,105 | 7.8 | 75 | 5 | 2 | 97.3 | 11 | 31 | 2.8 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 137 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | CIN | 3 | 3 | 2–1 | 72 | 109 | 66.1 | 721 | 6.6 | 35 | 4 | 2 | 89.3 | 15 | 70 | 4.7 | 21 | 1 | 10 | 60 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 7 | 7 | 5−2 | 169 | 251 | 67.3 | 1,826 | 7.3 | 75 | 9 | 4 | 93.8 | 26 | 101 | 3.9 | 21 | 1 | 29 | 197 | 0 | 0 | |
Player Skills and Traits
"Burrow is considered a relatively quiet, occasionally quirky guy. But he's beloved in the LSU locker room, largely because he plays with a competitiveness that borders on fanatical."
At the NFL Combine, Joe Burrow was measured at 6 feet 3 inches tall and 221 pounds. Before his amazing senior season at LSU, many scouts didn't think he would be a top NFL draft pick. They saw him as having average physical skills. But his 2019 season changed everything. Scouts started to notice his high football intelligence, accuracy, and ability to make plays. The Bengals saw these skills and chose him first in the 2020 NFL draft.
Football Intelligence
Many coaches and players say Joe's football intelligence is a key part of his game. He can quickly understand what opposing defenses are doing. At LSU, he would join coaches in game plan meetings. He even suggested ideas for plays. His coaches trusted him to change plays at the line of scrimmage based on how the defense lined up. One analyst called him a "co-offensive coordinator." As a Bengal, he has even called his own plays successfully in important games.
Joe also plays chess in his free time. He even keeps a chessboard in his locker. Playing chess helps him think quickly and plan ahead, which are important skills for a quarterback.
Accuracy and Movement
Sportswriters often praise Joe's accuracy. They say he can place the ball exactly where it needs to go. His offensive coordinator said Joe has an "uncanny ability to place the ball accurately on the move." He is also great at avoiding sacks. He moves well within the pocket to escape defenders. This allows him to find space to throw the ball or even run with it himself.
Leadership and Calmness
Former players have compared Joe Burrow to legendary quarterback Tom Brady. They note his calm attitude and strong desire to win. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo also compared him to Brady.
Joe's teammates and even opponents respect his leadership. He was voted a team captain as a rookie. This shows how much his teammates trusted him right away. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Joe is a "great leader" who can lead anyone. Mahomes and Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen have also mentioned Joe's "swag" or "swagger." Writers often describe Joe as having a "cool" demeanor. This calm attitude helps him stay focused under pressure during games. This is why he earned the nicknames "Joe Cool" and "Joe Brrr."
Awards, Achievements, and Records
- 2x NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2021, 2024)
- PFWA Comeback Player of the Year (2021)
- 2x Pro Bowl (2022, 2024)
- NFL completion percentage leader (2021)
- 10x FedEx Air Player of the Week (2021: Week 4, Week 7, Week 16, Week 17), (2022: Week 6, Week 7, Week 11), (2023: Week 5), (2024: Week 5, Week 9)
- FedEx Air Player of the Year (2022)
- Ranked No. 21 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022
- Ranked No. 6 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023
- Ranked No. 39 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024
NFL Records
- Highest career completion percentage: 68.3%
- Most completions by a rookie, game: 37
Bengals Franchise Records
- Most passing yards, game: 525
- Most passing yards, season: 4,611
- Most passing touchdowns, season: 35
- Highest passer rating, season: 108.3
- Highest completion percentage, career (minimum 500 pass attempts): 68.2%
- Highest passer rating, career (minimum 500 pass attempts): 100.4
- Most 400+ yard passing games, career: 5
- Most 300+ yard passing games, season: 6 (2021)
College Awards and Honors
- CFP national champion (2019)
- CFP National Championship Offensive MVP (2019)
- Heisman Trophy (2019)
- Maxwell Award (2019)
- Walter Camp Award (2019)
- Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2019)
- Davey O'Brien Award (2019)
- Manning Award (2019)
- Lombardi Award (2019)
- AP College Football Player of the Year (2019)
- Sporting News College Football Player of the Year (2019)
- 2019 Peach Bowl Offensive MVP
- 2019 Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP
- Unanimous All-American (2019)
- SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2019)
- First-team All-SEC (2019)
Personal Life
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During college, Joe spent a summer working as an intern at Goldman Sachs, a big financial company. After signing his first NFL contract, Joe said he planned to save all of his contract money. Instead, he would live off the money he earned from endorsements.
Joe is a fan of the Super Smash Bros. video game series. He often plays Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with his teammates on flights to away games. He likes to play as Ness from Earthbound.
He is also a big fan of the musician Kid Cudi. Joe often listens to Cudi's music before Bengals games. In 2022, Joe even appeared on stage with Kid Cudi at a Super Bowl afterparty. Later that year, Kid Cudi included a song named after Burrow on his album.
In 2023, Joe was part of a group of athletes who bought a large farm in Iowa. They plan to buy more agricultural properties. In 2024, Joe bought one of the ten replica Batmobiles from The Dark Knight movies for $2.9 million.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Burrow para niños
