Joe Burrow Chats With NFL Legend About Freestyle Playcalling Scenario During NFL Playoffs

The Bengals star had to pick plays on his own during the Super Bowl run.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) adjusted his helmet on the sideline before taking the field in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 14 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. The Bills overcame a halftime deficit to win 39-34. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Peyton Manning visited the Bengals' facility this past spring to film an episode of Peyton's Places for ESPN+, and that episode dropped in the past few days.

A big highlight was Manning and Joe Burrow going over what happens when a quarterback's helmet radio goes out midgame. Burrow had to deal with that in the 2022 AFC Divisional Round win over the Titans and led an end-of-half field goal drive with a few of his own play calls.

Cincinnati eventually won that game 19-16 before falling in the Super Bowl.

"Series before half. We've got to get some points. Helmet goes out, started off the huddle towards the sideline," Burrow told Manning. "At that point, it's just like I got to do what I got to do. Give me 11 personnel. I was like, This is my moment. I've been waiting for this. I've never done it before. Just got to the base plays that work."

Burrow dialed up a couple of first downs and set Evan McPherson up for a field goal that would ultimately be the difference in the game.

He liked the experience but won't be seeking it out, even though Zac Taylor jokingly thinks he faked the broken communication line.

"I did. I don't think I'd want to do it all the time," Burrow said about liking to call plays. "I'll leave that to Zac. He thought that I was faking it, faking the headset going out."

You can't fake the result as Cincinnati searches for another opportunity to punch tickets to deeper playoff rounds soon. It likely won't happen this January, needing to win this weekend against Baltimore just to mathematically stay alive in the playoff race.

Check out the full episode with Burrow and Zac Taylor here.

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