Bengals' Joe Burrow discloses how one of his biggest strengths as a quarterback works in his mind

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By John Sheeran | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 2:00 PM ET

There is much to praise and admire about Joe Burrow as a quarterback.

His toughness and awareness in the pocket is on par with his accuracy and touch as a thrower. He's able to create out of structure and keep his eyes downfield while avoiding free rushers more often than not. He can even scoot when needed and move the chains with his legs.

All valuable traits for the Cincinnati Bengals, but Burrow's ability to remain poised and play his best in the most important games can be what separates him from any other QB in franchise history.

It means everything for the team and fan base, and it's really no big deal for Burrow himself.

The intro segment of Netflix's "Quarterback" season two featuring Burrow covered this topic, and Cincinnati's QB opened up about his mindset when approaching the games circled on everyone's calendar.

"Everyone always wants to talk about, like, when we went to the Super Bowl, everybody was like, 'This is the biggest game you've ever played in.' Well, yes, at that point in your life," Burrow said during episode one. "But when you're playing sports, from third grade on, you're playing in championship games and at that point that's the biggest game of your life. So it feels the same to me."

In a nutshell, it's on to the next one. And then the next one.

When the big games feel normal, normal can feel great. The Bengals are 5-2 in the playoffs with Burrow under center, and some of his best games have been under the lights in must-win atmospheres.

"I always think when the lights are bright, that's when you're gonna get the best Joe Burrow," head coach Zac Taylor said during episode four. "It's a balance of his calmness and his urgency. I think that's what's really unique about him."

It's also what distinguishes him from recent Bengals history. Primetime and playoff games were the bane of Marvin Lewis Dalton and Andy Dalton's shared existence in Cincinnati. Taylor and Burrow have completely shifted that narrative as a HC-QB that relishes the big moments.

Burrow's the one who has to put it all out on the field, and he delivers like it's the third grade championship virtually every time.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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