Bengals owner wants long career for QB Joe Burrow in Cincy

CINCINNATI — Bengals team president Mike Brown said he hopes quarterback Joe Burrow enjoys a long career in Cincinnati, but understands it will come at a price for the reigning AFC champion.

In a pregame interview aired on the team’s radio show Sunday, Brown repeated Burrows’ recent comments about the window of opportunity for a potential Super Bowl run that would last his entire career and exceed the span of his team-friendly rookie contract. Brown also referenced Burrows’ record of upcoming payday with the possibility of signing other top players.

“He’s going to have a long career,” Brown told the team’s radio show. “We definitely want it to be here. I think his window will span his entire career. But there’s the fact that if you don’t have to pay the quarterback an extraordinary amount, there is room to pay other players more and, therefore, you can keep more players who are good players.”

Brown’s comments aired ahead of the Bengals’ 24-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the wildcard round, marking the first time in franchise history that Cincinnati had won playoff games in consecutive seasons.

Burrow had 23 of 32 passes for 209 yards and two total touchdowns in the win, setting up the division’s upcoming playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Burrow, the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, has one year remaining on his rookie contract, which includes a fifth-year option that teams can exercise on players selected in the first round. But now that Burrow has been in the league for three seasons, a contract extension is an option.

The former LSU star makes $9 million annually from his first NFL deal. That number could increase significantly if the two teams reach a contract extension before the start of the 2023 season.

Burrow, 26, also opened up about his future in Cincinnati in an interview ahead of the wildcard game against Baltimore. He told NBC Sports that he plans to spend his entire career with the Bengals, along with coach Zac Taylor, who holds the franchise record for most playoff wins by a coach (four).

He also referenced some of the financial limitations that Brown referenced.

“Hopefully a lot of our guys are there for a lot of my career like they can be,” Burrow told NBC. “I have great confidence in the front office doing their job during the off-season.”

Brown and the Bengal government will have to make decisions about several important contracts in the coming years. Wide receiver Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson, two starters who were also drafted in 2020, are eligible for extensions this offseason. Ja’Marr Chase, who set the franchise record for most yards in a single season as a rookie, will be up for discussion in 2024.

This young core has played a crucial role in Cincinnati’s recent success. Last season, the Bengals won their first playoff game in 31 years. Cincinnati reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989. Brown told the team’s radio show that the 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the championship game made him hopeful of the team’s ability to reach the greatest heights of the game.

“It made me a believer,” Brown said. “My father’s line that winning makes us all believe gave me some confidence that we could do it.

“We’ll see. Maybe it will happen again. I really hope so. It’s very exciting when you get the opportunity to have a long run and go to the Super Bowl.”