Did Joe Burrow deserve to be 'Madden 24' cover athlete?

There is an argument to be made for Burrow. 

Passing

Burrow has quickly risen in the NFL's quarterback rankings with many believing he is just behind Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

In 2022, Burrow passed for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Allen passed for 4,283 yards, 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. 

So, round one narrowly goes to Burrow.

Rushing

Running isn't as important to a quarterback's game as passing but it is still an essential skill in today's game, whether it's picking up extra yards or just extending the play.

In 2022, Burrow rushed for 257 yards and five touchdowns with zero fumbles. Allen rushed for 762 yards and seven touchdowns with eight fumbles and two lost.

Allen's turnovers are a little concerning, but it is tough to go against him in this category. Round two goes to Allen.

Winning

Maybe the most important stat of all.

In 2022, Burrow led Cincinnati to a 12-4 regular season record and a 2-1 postseason record. Allen led Buffalo 13-3 in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason.

This final round would have been a much closer call if the two teams hadn't played each other last year. But the Bengals defeated the Bills handedly (27-10) in the divisional round of the playoffs, ending their 2022 season. 

Burrow has also made it to back-to-back AFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance over the last two years while Allen hasn't seen past the Divisional round during the time span. So, Burrow takes round three.

Verdict

It's a close call with both quarterbacks certainly deserving the honor of being the cover athlete but the numbers clearly lean in Burrow's favor. 

Of course, there is more considered than stats as Allen beat out Burrow for this year's cover. So, maybe Burrow will get his revenge in 2023 in route to the franchise's first Super Bowl championship and earning his turn as "Madden's" next cover athlete.