Did Joe Burrow hint at leaving the Bengals?

With the Cincinnati Bengals eliminated from playoff contention, all eyes will be set on Joe Burrow.

Zac Taylor's decision to keep Burrow on the field for the final three games of the season sounds reckless, especially given his history of injuries.

Moreover, Burrow's comments about 'having fun' while playing sparked some doubts about his feelings toward the organization.

And, while he clarified that the comments didn't have anything to do with wanting to leave the Bengals, it seems like he's not closed to that possibility.

Joe Burrow hints at leaving the Bengals

As reported by NBC Sports' Josh Alpert, Burrow opened up on his desire to stay in Cincinnati in 2026 and beyond. Then again, he knows that might not be up to him.

"Burrow said on Wednesday that he expects to play for a long time and said that 'I can’t see' playing for anyone other than the Bengals in 2026. He admitted that 'crazy things can happen' in the NFL and that he’s considered other options in terms of his future in Cincinnati and overall playing future. 'You think about a lot of things,' Burrow said," Alper wrote. 

Burrow reportedly used the Micah Parsons trade as an example of how quickly things can change in this business.

That makes sense to a degree, but the timing of that statement was still a bit odd.

Perhaps he's trying to put pressure on the franchise to make some moves, or maybe that's really how he feels.

Whatever the case, it's hard to believe the Bengals will even entertain the thought of moving on from him unless he explicitly requests to be traded, and he's still under contract through the 2029 season.