Why Joe Burrow Thinks This Could Be the Year the Bengals Win a Super Bowl

Joe Burrow remains hungry for a Super Bowl win, and he believes this is the year his goal will be accomplished.

Since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2020, Burrow has competed in just two postseasons, with his first playoff run ending in a Super Bowl appearance. The Bengals lost to the Rams that year. He nearly got a taste of every NFL player’s biggest dream in just his sophomore season, and he’s been crawling to reach that level since.

Cincinnati hasn’t made the playoffs in the past three seasons, so making the postseason in 2026 will definitely be at the forefront of the team’s mind this year.

“There’s no secret that the last several years didn’t go the way we wanted to,” Burrow said during Wednesday’s media availability. “We’re in a great spot this year.”

But the QB then took things a step further by stating plainly that he believes the Bengals will win the Super Bowl this season because of the team’s revamped roster.

“I think this is the most talented roster that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Burrow went on. “I just think we know where we needed to be better, and we went out and aggressively made it happen.

“... We’re going to go win a lot of games this year and play great and win a Super Bowl.”

Those are some pretty confident statements, ones every fan would want to hear from their quarterback. And, as Burrow said, the Bengals did make some impressive offseason moves to put them in a better position than recent years ... at least on paper.

Bengals’ offseason moves

The Bengals’ biggest acquisition this offseason was trading for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Burrow spoke highly of Lawrence on Wednesday.

“We filled some holes that we have from years past,” Burrow said. “Got the best D-tackle in the league, in my opinion.”

Cincinnati also signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, edge rusher Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook in free agency. These moves came after the Bengals ended their drama-filled tenure with Trey Hendrickson, who landed with the Ravens in free agency.

Burrow is also happy that all five starting offensive linemen—left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., left guard Dylan Fairchild, center Ted Karras, right guard Dalton Risner and right tackle Amarius Mims—are returning.

“When you have five returning starters ... that’s a great feeling for me,” he said.

These changes are promising, especially after Burrow himself cast doubt on the team’s future (and his future with it) near the end of last season. At the time, he didn’t seem happy in Cincinnati, but it seems his tone has changed after the start of OTAs. That has to mean something, right?

Could the Bengals really win the Super Bowl this year?

Anything is possible, but the Bengals winning the Super Bowl this season would be quite the Cinderella story. Indeed, we wouldn’t place our bets on Cincinnati hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February ... at least not for now.

For the Bengals to have success, they'll need Burrow to stay healthy. In his six NFL seasons, the quarterback has only competed in three full campaigns. The other three were derailed because of injuries, including the most recent in 2025-26. Two of the seasons in which Burrow remained healthy resulted in postseason runs for the Bengals: one trip to the Super Bowl and one trip to the AFC Championship game. If the quarterback can stay healthy again in 2026, there’s a good chance he’ll send his team to big playoff games. If he can't, though, it will definitely hinder the Bengals’ chances of making it to and winning the Big Game.

Plus, even though the Bengals retained most of their star players and added some star power, too, the team still needs to find its rhythm together before a Super Bowl victory is on the table. What does seem possible, though, is for the team to make the playoffs this season, so long as they are competitive in the AFC North.

The Bengals’ biggest competition there is arguably the Ravens—Cincinnati lost five of the last six meetings between these teams. Baltimore will always be seen as a powerhouse so long as Lamar Jackson is present, and there is a good chance these two teams will be battling for the AFC North title this year.

On top of dealing with the Ravens at least twice a year, the Bengals will also face the Chiefs this season, a team that proved to be an obstacle in their last playoff appearance (the 2022 AFC Championship). But the Chiefs aren’t the same team they’ve been in recent seasons, and might not pose as much of a problem as they have in the past.

Burrow made a good point in his press conference on Wednesday, when he stated that the Bengals have “got to get back to being the explosive offense that we were in ’21 and ’22.” Burrow has a solid offense in Cincinnati, headlined by Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown. If the offense continues to click, then the Bengals will set themselves up for long-term success.

While we don’t see the Bengals winning a Super Bowl this year, don't be surprised if it happens soon. And when it does, it will be the franchise's first one.

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