Thanks, Joe, for the promise of better days
When Joe Burrow went down in a heap during the Washington game, it wasn’t just the Bengals’ quarterback who was screaming—it was every Bengals fan watching or listening.
And it was an ugly flashback to the litany of injuries that seemingly had haunted this franchise since the days of Greg Cook: Ki-Jana Carter, Tim Krumrie and, of course, Carson Palmer, to name a few.
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Joe had given the Bengals the swagger that had been missing from the team—that Boomer Esiason aura that helped lead them to the post season and the ’89 Super Bowl. But in an instant, all that was gone--turning to concern for the future of the Heisman-winning national champion.
By all accounts, including his own, Joe’s rehab is going on schedule and he is aiming to be taking snaps when the regular season starts in September. So while it’s “wait ‘til next year” again for Bengals fans, there are some things we can take from this past year:
Joe Burrow immediately became a national spokesperson and advocate for those struggling to put food on the table with his Heisman speech. “Coming from southeast Ohio, it’s a very impoverished area,” he said. “The poverty rate is almost two times the national average. There are so many people there that don’t have a lot. I’m up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County that go home—not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here too.”
That speech brought in a half million dollars for the Athens County Food Pantry and gave hope to kids everywhere whose families are struggling during these turbulent times.
As a rookie, you’re taught to work hard, keep your head down and be quiet. Instead, Joe Burrow spoke up as one of the team leaders for equal justice. “The black community needs our help,” he tweeted after the death of George Floyd. “They have been unheard for far too long. Open your ears, listen, and speak. This isn’t politics. This is human rights.” He also was among those to speak as the Bengals marched to the Underground Railroad Freedom Center in August to bring attention to the issue of human rights.
Voted a team captain in his first year, Burrow was on pace to break a number of rookie records, including Andrew Luck's 2012 NFL rookie record for passing yards, before his injury. In his last win, in week 8 against the Titans, Burrow went 26/37 for 249 yards, two touchdowns and no picks.
As much as Bengals fans would have liked, 2020 was not to be for the team. But all signs point to a better 2021, with a healthy quarterback and more fans in the stands. So thank you, Joe Burrow, for giving Bengals fans something to cheer about last year, and something to look forward to this year.