Joe Burrow may have just taken the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl, but he’s not taken anything for granted as he heads into his third season.
The 25-year-old quarterback said he is not looking toward the future, specifically the potential of a massive contract extension following the 2022 season.
“It doesn’t mean anything if I go in and stink it up this year,” he said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer (h/t ProFootballTalk). “I’m focused on this year.”
The Bengals have made it no secret they would like to secure Burrow, who is eligible for an extension after the season, for the long-term future. After all, they are the defending AFC Champions — a feat that nobody predicted prior to last season.
What kind of money would Burrow command? Well, like the quarterback said, he can’t go stink it up this year.
But let’s say he plays well and leads the Bengals to the playoffs again, Josh Allen’s six-year, $258 million ($150 million guaranteed) could be the ballpark we’re talking about. Or maybe Kyler Murray’s five-year, $230.5 million deal — the second highest annual average salary among active QBs.
Can the Bengals even afford that?
Earlier this year, Bengals president and team owner Mike Brown had said, “our whole focus is going to be on keeping him here.”
The Bengals are certainly taking measures to keep Burrow with the team. They were recently approved to build an indoor practice facility in the city — a common sense move considering they play in the Midwest.
They also have begun exploring naming rights to Paul Brown Stadium to bring in more revenue.
Burrow, meanwhile, remains focused on being ready for Week 1 (he underwent an appendectomy at the start of training camp) and let his play on the field do the talking.
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