Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Recent comments made by Cincinnati Bengals franchise quarterback Joe Burrow has some NFL fans worried about his headspace following a difficult injury-riddled season, one of many he’s had in his NFL career.
Since being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, the former Heisman trophy winning LSU quarterback has had an extensive injury history, suffering from a Torn ACL, PCL, MCL & meniscus, in 2020, a dislocated finger in 2021, an MCL sprain in 2022, a calf strain and a torn wrist ligament in 2023, and most recently, his turf toe injury from earlier this year.
Those injuries have not only taken a physical toll on Burrow, but a mental one, too, as he told reporters following the Bengals loss to the Buffalo Bills that he’d like to have “fun” playing football again.
NFL fans are worried that Joe Burrow is beginning to sound like Andrew Luck after saying he wants to “have fun” playing football again
“I think I’ve been through more than most,” Burrow told reporters. “It’s certainly not easy on the brain or the body, so I’m just trying to have fun doing it again. If I want to keep doing this, then what am I trying to do with myself? I have to have fun doing it. If it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So that’s the mindset.”
“Do I have fun playing? I mean, how much? Winning’s always fun, but in general, was it as fun as before? No, I wouldn’t say it was that way,” he continued. “Number one, I work hard for it. Number two, this is, at the end of the day, the entertainment industry. I want to go out and play well, and if you’re playing well and scoring points and winning games, then it’s usually fun to watch.”
“The changing point? I’m not sure there was a singular moment or time. Reflection on a lot of things that I’ve done and been through in my career, I think. There’s just a lot of things going on right now — football-related, personally, all of the above.”
Burrow’s comments immediately went viral among NFL fans on social media, with a few viral tweets comparing his tone to that of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who infamously abruptly retired when he was just 29 years old.
https://t.co/XFPrAXHdnQ pic.twitter.com/YaupwtGb4C
— Logan (@SconnieColt) December 11, 2025
The Andrew Luck vibes are bumming me out hard https://t.co/TRYrxGDThI
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) December 11, 2025
Normally I’d make a joke but he legit sounds like he’s contemplating retirement https://t.co/VVKmD0mv5N
— KalebBurgh Steelers (@SteelersWin109) December 11, 2025
It might happen this offseason
It might https://t.co/ASA8jcez9O
— Nico (@elitetakes_) December 11, 2025