NFL Insider Says Joe Burrow Hasn’t Shown Any Intention of Requesting a Trade

The Bengals quarterback sparked trade speculation after providing some pretty cryptic responses about his future last week.

Joe Burrow sparked trade interest last week with some pretty cryptic comments about his future. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joe Burrow started some alarms on Wednesday after he gave some pretty cryptic answers about his future in the league and on the Bengals, who are 4–9 and very likely to miss the playoffs.

“It doesn’t change my desire to win,” Burrow said. “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I have been through a lot. If it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for?”

These comments, of course, sparked trade speculation for the quarterback. Burrow missed most of the 2025 season as he dealt with a turf toe injury, and the Bengals only won one game in his absence. It’s understandable why he would want to maybe play elsewhere to have a better chance of winning.

However, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Sunday that she hasn’t heard any truth behind the rumors that Burrow wants out of Cincinnati. According to Russini’s sources close to the matter, Burrow hasn’t asked for a trade or even hinted that he wants one. Obviously, the season isn’t over, and the offseason is a whole other story when it comes to trades, but for now, Burrow will likely stay with the Bengals.

Staying with the Bengals means Burrow probably wants to see some major changes to set the team up to win more games in the future. The quarterback isn’t perfect by any means—he was pretty down on himself about the two interceptions he threw against the Bills last weekend. But, there’s no question that the Bengals are struggling.

Essentially, Russini reported that Burrow is “tired of losing.” We’ll see if he can lead the Bengals to a huge AFC North win on Sunday vs. the Ravens. If he can’t, then his dreams of coming back this season to lead his team to a playoff run are likely over.

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