Joe Burrow Sends Clear Message: He Is Not the Next Andrew Luck

No, Joe Burrow is not Andrew Luck.

It's an odd narrative that has been mentioned for far too long.

In fact, I remember standing at a Bengals training camp practice as Burrow made his return from the torn ACL he suffered as a rookie and one prominent national writer mentioned the possiblity. I dismissed the idea and responded with "Burrow loves football too much."

"Luck loved football, too," he responded.

While that may be true, the narrative has never held up. Sure, the two quarterbacks have some similarities. From being the top overall selection in the NFL Draft to carrying their respective franchise and suffering brutal injuries in the process.

The difference is his mindset entering his age 30 season. He isn't thinking about the end. He just wants to get back on the field and do what he loves.

"What the Hell Else Would I Do?"

Joe Burrow in Locker Room | Courtesy of Netflix

Burrow has dealt with injuries and rehab, but he's still focused on playing for a long time. He opened up about his mindset during a conversation with Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.

“I used to think I didn’t want to play very long, and now I’m like, I’m just going to go until I can’t do it anymore. This is fun to do. What the hell else would I do?" Burrow asked. "I used to want to go and maybe play a different sport after a couple of Super Bowls, but now I’m like, I’m just going to play until I can’t.”

Burrow is going to play until the wheels fall off. Of course, he's hoping to win multiple Super Bowls in the process. That's why this offseason was so important for him and the Bengals.

He wants to win. It's also important for him to see the organization make moves to help put him in position to win a championship.

“I’m just excited to play, man,” Burrow told Breer. “Two out of the last three seasons, I’ve missed extended time. I’ve put a lot of work into this. When that happens, that sucks, quite frankly. So I’m just excited to play. When you’re hurt, you’re away from the team, you’re away from the guys. You’re not going through it like they are. It’s a lonely process."

Burrow and the Bengals are hoping to win a Super Bowl this season. Until they do that, there will be speculation about his future in Cincinnati and questions about his happiness.

The Luck narrative may continue, but it shouldn't. Burrow turns 30 in December. He rehabbed like a madman to get back on the field last season, despite not having a realistic chance at making the playoffs. Injuries stink, but Burrow will continue playing football for a lo

"What the hell else would I do?"

Check out Breer's entire conversation with Burrow here.

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