Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Joe Burrow is now 1-34 when trailing in the final eight minutes of the 4th quarter
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow developed such a reputation for being cool under pressure — “clutch,” essentially — that he was bestowed the nickname “Joe Cool” early in his career. The stats, however, suggest the opposite is true.
After the Cincinnati Bengals 30-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday — a result that helped put everyone in the AFC North at 2-1 heading into Week 4 — Joe Burrow’s record when trailing in the last 8:00 in the NFL is now 1-34.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is now 1-34 in his career when trailing in the final eight minutes of a game
In layman’s terms: of the 35 times Burrow and the Bengals have been behind in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter, they’ve won just one game. Burrow has been in the NFL since 2020.
He’s also 6-21 overall in fourth-quarter or overtime situations when trailing by one score, with five of those six wins coming before the final eight minutes even started.
Mahomes has a better record when trailing in the last :13 seconds in the NFL. https://t.co/7wUZdp8UoS
— Mick Shaffer (@mickshaffer) September 27, 2026
Individually, Burrow has gotten off to a strong start to the season after missing a large portion of the 2025 campaign due to injury, as he completed a career-high 70.9% of his passes for 743 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception through three games.
On Sunday, though, Burrow committed a crucial turnover that sealed the game, as he fumbled at Pittsburgh’s 38-yard line while trying to escape pressure during the Bengals’ final possesion.
Football, however, is a team sport, and advanced analytics suggest that record may be more of his teammate’s fault than Burrow’s.
Since 2021 Joe Burrow’s dropback EPA/play when trailing with less than 8 minutes in regulation is +0.33
That’s T-4th in the NFL in that time, behind Josh Allen (+0.44, 9-24), Dak Prescott (+0.36, 7-28-1) and Lamar Jackson (+0.34, 10-21)
His 107.7 passer rating ranks 1st
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) September 27, 2026
The Bengals will look to get back in the win column on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars in what should be one of the most exciting matchups of Week 4.