National Sports Personality Takes Surprising Shot at Bengals Star Joe Burrow

The Bengals will travel to Spain to take on the Falcons in Madrid during Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season. It's their first international contest since 2019, and the first international game of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase's career.

While many are excited about the Bengals traveling overseas as part of the NFL's international series, some are not thrilled with the news.

Hall of Fame broadcaster Craig Carton stated on his daily podcast The Craig Carton Show that Burrow is not good enough to make demands of the NFL. Carton would say that Burrow does not have the gravitas yet to be demanding an international game from the NFL, while also pointing out that Burrow is never ready to play, always hurt, and misses the playoffs more than he makes the playoffs.

“Joe Burrow does not have the gravitas yet where he should be demanding that the Cincinnati Bengals play in an international game!" Carton said. "Joe Burrow is never ready to play. Joe Burrow is always hurt. Joe Burrow misses the playoffs more than he makes the playoffs."

Carton while acknowledging Burrow is a great quarterback, also took a shot at the 29-year-old due to his injury history and lack of postseason appearances.

"Joe Burrow when healthy, which is rare, and on the field which is rare, is a great quarterback. But at some point don't we have to re-look at the Joe Burrow career and say flash in the pan?" Carton asked. "For all the heat we give other quarterbacks, why don't we give Joe Burrow any heat? Joe Burrow gets no smoke at all."

Joe Burrow Never Demanded Anything

While the concerns for Burrow's health are warranted at this point of his career, the idea that Burrow made demands for an international game to the NFL are questionable to say the least.

This comment from Carton likely comes from Burrow discussing how he would like to play an international game in 2026 during an interview after the 2025 schedule release.

"Maybe an international game next year" Burrow said last year.

This came last year following rumors that the Bengals would play the Dolphins in Madrid for the leagues inaugural game in Spain.

Those rumors turned out to be false as the Commanders ended up playing the Dolphins in Madrid last season, but to label these "demands" from Burrow to the NFL is simply a stretch on Carton's part.

Burrow has made it clear that his goal is to continue to grow the game and by extension the Bengals as an franchise internationally, as he stated that it was one of the main reasons he decided to take part in Netflix's Quarterback show last year.

"Part of the reason I wanted to do the 'Quarterback' show, I wanted to help grow the game internationally, and so to not have a stage like that is a little disappointing," Burrow said. "Because I feel like I've consciously worked hard to try to grow the game internationally over the last 18 months or so. So hopefully at some point in my career we can go over there."

As evidenced by the quotes above, no demands were made, but rather Burrow was saying it was something he would like to do during his career. Something he emphasized in an interview with Geoff Hobson after it was revealed that the Bengals would take on the Falcons in Madrid in 2026.

"The game has a lot of room to grow. Just like basketball did in the '80s and '90s," Burrow told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "The Bulls kind of spearheaded that. Made it global, and hopefully the Bengals can do the same thing over the next couple of years for the NFL."

While growing the game of Football, the NFL, and the Bengals in the same way that the Bulls transformed the sport of Basketball is a lofty goal, that is exactly where Burrow thrives. He is not afraid of the spotlight and handles pressure in a historically superb way.

Again the concerns for his health are fair, but to essentially say he has not earned as much respect as others is a foolish declaration, especially when you consider he has reached a Super Bowl, and played at an equivalent or higher level than other elite quarterbacks in the league.

Watch Carton's full comments below:

JOE BURROW IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE DEMANDS OF THE NFL!

“Joe Burrow does not have the gravitas yet where he should be demanding that the Cincinnati Bengals play in an international game! Joe Burrow is always hurt! For all the heat we give other quarterbacks, why don't we give… pic.twitter.com/zAYJvcRY4N
— The Craig Carton Show (@CraigCartonShow) May 14, 2026

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