Ja’Marr Chase Reacts to Joe Burrow’s Cryptic Comments About Future

The Bengals quarterback turned heads with his comments on Wednesday.
Chase spoke about Burrow's cryptic comments on Thursday.
Chase spoke about Burrow's cryptic comments on Thursday. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Joe Burrow turned heads across the NFL world on Wednesday afternoon when, in speaking about his future, candidly told reporters that, “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it.”

“I've been through a lot,” he added. “If it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for?”

Burrow certainly has a point. Across his first six NFL seasons, he’s managed to play a full campaign just three times, and the reason he’s now won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award twice. He’s dealt knee, wrist and most recently toe injuries that have set him back, only for him to ultimately spring forward again to his post as one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

He’s also reached the postseason just twice, and is set to miss out once again with Cincinnati dropping to 4–9 after last Sunday’s loss to the Bills.

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Amid the noise, Burrow’s top offensive target and longtime teammate, Ja’Marr Chase, offered his own take about his quarterback on Thursday afternoon.

“He doesn't look like he's bummed to be here ...” said the 25-year-old, via CLNS Media's Mike Petraglia. “The man loves the game, from what I see, he seems the same every day. No negativity from him.”

“He smiles every day,” Chase continued. “The narrative that y’all are trying to paint on him right now, I don’t see it. ... He's the same person every day. He comes to work. He loves work. He loves the guys in the locker room, so he’s pretty positive to me.”

For what it’s worth, it was Burrow’s own words—not a media-conconted narrative—that have spurned questions about the signal caller.

Long story short? Things seem all well and good in Cincinnati, at least for now. The Bengals will take on the Ravens this coming Sunday in Baltimore at 1:00 p.m. ET.


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Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.