Joe Burrow Needs Super Bowl Win More Than Almost Every NFL QB

Joe Burrow has long established himself as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, but one major accomplishment is still missing from his resume.

A Super Bowl title.

CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo recently ranked the quarterbacks who need a Super Bowl win the most this season, and Burrow landed at No. 3 on that list. The ranking makes clear how much a championship would mean for both his legacy and the Cincinnati Bengals' franchise.

A Championship Would Change Burrow's Legacy For Good

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws a pass during a practice session at the Kettering Health Practice Fields in Cincinnati on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“An Ohio native, Burrow would forever be a legend in the Buckeye State if he helps the Bengals become the state's first Super Bowl champion,” DeArdo wrote.

That's the biggest part of the equation for Burrow. He's not just trying to bring home a Lombardi Trophy for a personal accomplishment, but rather to deliver the first Super Bowl title in Bengals' history and the first Super Bowl championship for the state of Ohio. The Ohio native was a backup quarterback at Ohio State early on in his collegiate career — and the Buckeyes never won a National Championship.

The Bengals came painfully close during the 2021 season, when Burrow led them to Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams. Cincinnati fell 23-20 in a game that came down to the final minute, with Matthew Stafford leading a late scoring drive and Aaron Donald wrecking the game on defense, as he typically does.

Since then, the Bengals have remained dangerous when Burrow is healthy, but injuries have complicated things. That's part of why DeArdo argued that a Super Bowl win could significantly change how Burrow's career is viewed.

“A Super Bowl win would also greatly help Burrow's Hall of Fame case,” DeArdo wrote. “While he is undeniably a Hall of Fame talent, injuries held Burrow back.”

Burrow has the talent, production, and moxie it takes to win in the postseason. He's capable of being remembered among the greatest quarterbacks of all time, but the championship is often what separates a quarterback from being great to being a legend.

The former No. 1 overall pick has already proved that he belongs among the NFL's top current quarterbacks. He's thrown for over 20,000 yards and nearly 160 touchdowns in not even six full seasons. The real pressure comes in when a Super Bowl is on the line.

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