Bengals’ Joe Burrow sits on the bench during a dismal performance against the Browns, just days after signing a record $275 million contract to become the NFL’s highest-paid star
Joe Burrow became the NFL’s highest-paid player on Friday, but two days later the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback was benched in his team’s opening game of the season.
After struggling to get a grip on the football on a wet day in Cleveland, the 26-year-old took a seat during the fourth quarter of the Bengals’ 24-3 loss to the Browns in what was the 100th meeting between the two Buckeye State rivals.
It is currently unclear if Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor made the decision to use backup Jake Browning due to an injury suffered by Burrow. The former LSU star strained his calf during training camp and was largely inactive this preseason before taking the field against the Browns on Sunday.
On Friday, the former No. 1 draft pick signed a five-year extension worth up to $275 million with $219 million guaranteed.
Remarkably, the deal gives Burrow a record average annual salary of $55 million.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow (L) was on the bench in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Browns
By the time he left the field, Burrow had thrown just 31 attempts for 14 completions and no TDs
“I’ve always been pretty good at compartmentalizing things that are important to me,” Burrow said at a news conference on Saturday, emphasizing that negotiations over his big, recent payday were not a distraction ahead of the first game of the 2023 Bengals. -24 NFL season.
“I work very hard to perform well on the field and think a lot about how I handle myself and how I can be the best me for this organization,” Burrow added. “So it means a lot to me to be rewarded for it, but there’s a lot more to do.”
Burrow, who began his fourth NFL season on Sunday, has turned around the Bengals’ fortunes while building a reputation as a decisive and creative leader with a knack for figuring out how to pick up yards when the play breaks down.
He has led Cincinnati to back-to-back AFC North titles and a Super Bowl appearance following the 2021 season.
Burrow has been dealing with a calf injury for most of the offseason, limiting his ability to train as much as he would like
Signing the 2022 Pro Bowler and 2021 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year to an extension was a team goal all summer, and Burrow didn’t hesitate to spend the rest of his career in Cincinnati.
“A very well-deserved day for Joe,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said before Sunday’s loss to Cleveland. ‘He is a man who represented everything we want to stand for. It’s on the field as a football player, it’s off the field in the locker room, it’s in the classroom as a student of the game.”
Burrow, who was sidelined for most of the summer with a nagging calf injury, only returned to training last week.
He threw 31 attempts for 14 completions (45.2 percent) and no touchdowns against the Browns on Sunday. What’s more is that Cincinnati’s No. 9 only threw for 82 passing yards.
The Bengals next face the Ravens in what will be their first home game of the season on September 17. Fans are hoping for a change in fortunes for Burrow, who would normally play in the team’s next game.