Bengals Legend Shares Important Advice With Joe Burrow Ahead of Return vs Ravens

CINCINNATI ---- Joe Burrow is returning to the field for the Bengals on Thanksgiving night for a crucial matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, and while many are excited, there are also plenty of fans and national analysts who worry for the star quarterback's health, especially considering the Bengals current 3-8 record has their season on life support even within a weak AFC North division.

Bengals legend Andrew Whitworth has some advice for Burrow ahead of his first game since Sept. 14 against the Jaguars.

"I don't mean this from an age standpoint, but like look at some of your true pocket passers that still play in the game right now. I always say I would love to see Joe lean more into what Matthew Stafford, when plays are broken down or plays aren't there, you just get rid of the ball, just get the ball out, lets move to the next down." Whitworth said. "And I'm not saying that you're giving up on plays, but you're trusting like "I have the capability mentally, how sharp of a passer, how accurate I am, what I can do with the football in my hands, and read defenses, to get the football to my guys, like I can trust that I can give this down up and on the next down, I'll prove to ya that I can make up for it."

Whitworth does have a point. If a play just isn't there, quarterbacks have to get rid of the ball and live to fight another down.

Now, to also be fair to Burrow, one of the reasons why he's such a special player is his ability to go off script and make something out of nothing. He led the NFL in every major passing category last season with 4,918 passing yards, 460 completions, and 43 touchdowns.

Whitworth went on to give for context and even another scenario in which past legendary quarterbacks have let a one play stay broken, only to make up for it on the next.

"Sometimes I think guys feel like they can make up for it [making up for a broken play] in the down, and you gotta start to realize like "hey maybe it's the next down that I get us to without us losing yardage, without me getting injured, without something bad happening, and on the next down I'll make up for it," Whitworth said. "Like I remember even Peyton, I could remember Peyton Manning like hittin the deck [taking a sack], like guys would come scot-free and he would just hit the deck, like him and Eli, they were great at that, Tom [Brady] sometimes, like just hit the deck, take the sack."

This is something many Bengals fans observed in the past with Burrow, as at times he has taken unnecessary sacks after attempting to extend plays that just aren't there.

"Next play, like I'm gonna convert on this 3rd down and long, and then we're gonna keep it moving, and go score," and just that's my point of just sometimes with these things it's like, hey Joe you being healthy is number one," Whitworth continued. "I'd love for you to learn like sometimes some of these plays we don't have to extend them further than what they are, especially when they're three-steps where the ball is supposed to get out, if it's not there, lets move to the next down, and then let's execute the next one."

Hopefully, Burrow continues to improve in this area of his game after the progress we saw from it last season. Extending the play is one of the best things about Burrow's ability as a player, but it can absolutely be a small weakness, as Whitworth pointed out.

Watch the entire clip of Whitworth on the Up And Adams Show below:

One thing that Andrew Whitworth thinks will help Joe Burrow stay on the field is.... taking more sacks? 🤯@AndrewWhitworth | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/0q2UzpkkG6
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 24, 2025

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and Amazon.