Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

'Tiger King' star wants Joe Burrow's help getting out of prison

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Sep 14, 2023 4:31 PM ET

Since his emergence as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, many have started calling Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow the “Tiger King.”

That doesn’t quite sit right with Joe Exotic (real name Joseph Maldonado), who believes since Burrow is living large off of his nickname, it’s only right that the 26-year-old QB, who recently became the highest-paid player in the NFL, do him a favor in return.

“Since everyone is enjoying the fame of being the Tiger King I'm suffering wrongfully in prison in a cage, how about doing a good deed and helping me raise $20,000 for a down payment to hire attorneys?” Exotic wrote in a letter to Burrow (full text below). “…Maybe paying it forward, God might help you get to the Super Bowl this year.”

Here's my letter to @JoeyB Help stop this injustice done to me and then let's go keep animals from being in a cage together #tigerking #freejoeexotic pic.twitter.com/V96cwkNQDk
— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) September 14, 2023

Exotic, who was the subject of the first season of the 2020 Netflix true crime documentary “Tiger King," is serving a 22-year prison sentence after being found guilty by a federal jury for a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin.

He was also found guilty on eight counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trade of wildlife, fish and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, which is designed to protect animal species at risk of becoming extinct.

Exotic allegedly killed five tigers, sold several other tigers across state lines and falsified numerous wildlife records.

Exotic’s appeal to Burrow was more of a Hail Mary than anything considering the Pro Bowl QB admitted in November that he doesn’t like being dubbed the “Tiger King” because of his dislike for the show it came from.

"I don't like that one that much," Burrow said. "I don't like that show. I have not seen the show, because I don't like seeing animals in cages — I don't really like that…so I don't like that nickname."

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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