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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws a pass during a preseason training camp practice in downtown Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joe Burrow teases why “it feels different this year” at Bengals training camp

Originally posted on Stripe Hype | By Matt Fitzgerald | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 1:46 PM ET

When Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow sat down for a rather rare, extensive interview with NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, he put the rest of the football world on notice.

Not that cynicism is a prevalent paradigm across any of the NFL's 32 training camps, but the mere presence of a healthy Burrow is reason enough for Who Dey Nation to be more hopeful than most other teams who fell short of the playoffs last season.

Most NFL fans understand that talk tends to be cheap when it comes to any buzz-worthy preseason subplots. However, Joey Franchise isn't one to mince words, project false confidence, or make empty, sweeping statements about the state of the Bengals.

That's why Burrow's glowing take on the lead-up to Cincinnati's 2025 campaign is particularly noteworthy. And it had nothing to do with the team'ssplashy acquisition of dynamic tight end Noah Fant.

Joe Burrow describes "positive tension" at Bengals training camp

Although it was encouraging to hear Burrow discuss how healthy he is relative to the myriad bizarre, injury-plagued training camps he's endured to date, what the superstar QB said to Pelissero about why this team feels different stood out most during their lengthy chat.

"There’s just an energy in that building right now that is palpable. Maybe I say that every year, I can't remember. It feels different this year, it does. The energy and the positive tension, and everything that we're feeling in there right now is something that I think…maybe I haven't quite felt in the last couple of years."

“For myself, I expect to be close to perfect. I think I’m at that level at this point.”

My full interview with Joe Burrow after a spirited #Bengals practice on Inside Training Camp Live @nflnetwork: pic.twitter.com/PjoTpJv9wR
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 31, 2025

To be clear, it's not as if Burrow and the offense he orchestrates were to blame for the team's recent woes. The 28-year-old field general is everything Cincinnati could hope for and more as its face of the organization. He's coming off a career year, which featured an NFL-best 4,918 yards through the air and 43 touchdown passes to only nine interceptions.

Despite his extraordinary efforts, and a five-game winning streak to close out the 2024 schedule, Burrow's Bengals missed the postseason. That's even more disheartening considering that Burrow's prior season was cut short by a career-threatening injury to his right throwing wrist.

Worth reiterating: Burrow's words always carry a lot of weight. He wouldn't imply that a stronger competitive spirit was more palpable now than in years past if he didn't mean it. Nor does it come across as a "living in denial" type of deal, where another season of his prime could be wasted if the team doesn't deliver on the promise they've shown in camp so far.

Even with stud pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson holding in as he awaits a new contract, another big takeaway here is that the Bengals' maligned defense is rising to the occasion under new coordinator Al Golden. Burrow was keen to highlight that aspect of camp to Pelissero as well.

Cincinnati's pivot to Golden and away from new Colts DC Lou Anarumo is a change for change's sake that will ideally elevate the Bengals to something like a league-average defense. Last year's unit ranked 25th in total defense and 26th in points allowed. Little elsewhere to go but upwards, no?

The slightest defensive reinforcements to complement Burrow and the offense should all but guarantee double-digit wins and a return to the playoffs. Time will tell if the "different" vibes Burrow feels will translate to another legitimate run at the Lombardi Trophy in 2025.

Hard to believe that by the time we all find out together, the team will be almost three full seasons removed from those consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game and its Super Bowl LVI loss.