Joe Burrow is convinced the Cincinnati Bengals are about to snap their three-season playoff drought, and honestly, when the man talks like this, you gotta pay attention. The superstar quarterback was on Ja’Marr Chase’s podcast, “Chasing No. 1,” and he laid it all out there: “I just want to win this year. I just want to win. The rest will take care of itself.” He thinks they’ll break records eventually, but what truly hit me was when he said, “I think we’re going to have a really good team that has a chance to win every game that we step foot on the field for. I don’t know about you, but I could really feel it in my bones and my soul in OTAs this year , different from years past.” Dude is feeling it.
A New Vibe and Familiar Faces (Mostly)
Burrow isn’t just blowing smoke. He said they “brought in a lot of the right guys, a lot of the right people with the right mindsets to go and chase this goal of winning a Super Bowl.” That’s the kind of talk you want to hear from your franchise QB. He specifically mentioned feeling it from the D-line and the defense, noting that their offense has “the same guys as years past.” He’s betting on the “veteran guys that we brought in on defense to be able to help our younger guys.” We’ve seen the Bengals miss the playoffs for three straight seasons, including a 6-11 finish last year (2025) and back-to-back 9-8 campaigns in 2023 and 2024. But let’s not forget, this is the same guy who led them to a Super Bowl in 2021 and the AFC Championship in 2022. When Burrow talks about feeling something “different,” it carries weight, especially after missing nine games last season with a turf toe injury that saw the team go 1-8 without him versus 5-3 with him.
Big Moves and Bigger Questions
So, who are these “right guys” Burrow’s talking about? The Bengals made some serious moves. They snagged star defensive tackle and three-time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence from the Giants for the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, then locked him down with a one-year, $28 million extension. What a pickup! They also drafted Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell at No. 41. In free agency, they went hard on defense, adding Boye Mafe on a three-year, $60 million deal, safety Bryan Cook for three years and $40.3 million, and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on a two-year, $25 million deal. They did lose four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson in free agency, which stings, but the defensive additions are legit. Burrow’s 2025 numbers were solid in the eight games he played: 1,809 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 100.7 passer rating. The year before, he threw for an NFL-high 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. Can he stay healthy? That’s always the big question for Burrow, with injuries cutting short his 2020 and 2023 seasons too. Backup Joe Flacco stepped in for six starts and nine appearances in 2025, but everyone knows this team goes as Burrow goes.
The message is clear: Burrow is all-in on 2026. The Bengals are rolling into the season with new defensive firepower and their franchise quarterback convinced this year is “different.” Is this the year they climb back to the top? Time to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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