Joe Burrow Bio
Joseph Lee Burrow, born on December 10, 1996, in Ames, Iowa, is an American professional football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons at Ohio State, where he served primarily as a backup, Burrow transferred to Louisiana State University (LSU) and won the 2019 Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff National Championship. Selected first overall by the Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft, he has since become one of the league’s most prominent quarterbacks, earning multiple Pro Bowl selections, a record-setting contract extension, and the nickname “Joe Cool” for his composure under pressure.
Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 221 pounds, Burrow combines passing precision with pocket mobility, traits that have helped him rewrite portions of both the Bengals’ record book and modern NFL passing history. By 2024, he had led the league in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, cementing his status among the top quarterbacks of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Lee Burrow was born in Ames, Iowa, on December 10, 1996, to Robin and Jim Burrow. His father, Jim, is a former football player and coach whose career in the sport has spanned more than four decades. Burrow was born while his father was on the coaching staff at Iowa State University, and the family later moved several times for coaching positions, including stints at North Dakota State and Ohio University.
The Burrow family has a deep athletic lineage. His paternal grandmother set a Mississippi state high school record with an 82-point basketball game in the 1940s, while his paternal grandfather played basketball at Mississippi State. His uncle, John Burrow, played football at the University of Mississippi, and two older brothers also played football at Nebraska. Unlike most of his family members, who played defense, Burrow began his football career as a quarterback because his first youth team needed a player at the position.
Burrow attended Athens High School in The Plains, Ohio, where he led the Bulldogs to three consecutive playoff appearances and the first seven playoff victories in school history. Over his high school career, he passed for 11,416 yards and 157 touchdowns, while adding 2,067 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns. He was named Ohio’s Mr. Football and the Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior in 2014, finishing his final season with a 14–1 record. Burrow was also a standout basketball player, earning first-team all-state honors at point guard.
Path to American Football
Burrow committed to Ohio State in May 2014 and joined the program as a highly regarded recruit. After redshirting his first year in 2015, he spent the next two seasons as a backup to J. T. Barrett, appearing in 10 games and completing 29 of 39 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. The competition for the starting job during spring practice in 2018 ultimately convinced Burrow that his path to playing time lay elsewhere.
Following the spring game, Burrow informed reporters that he did not intend to spend four years on the bench. He graduated from Ohio State in three years with a degree in consumer and family financial services and transferred to Louisiana State University in May 2018, becoming immediately eligible as a graduate transfer. At LSU, his career would soon take a dramatic turn.
Joe Burrow Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
In his first year as LSU’s starting quarterback in 2018, Burrow helped lead the Tigers to a 10–3 record, including a victory over UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. He finished the season with 2,894 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while adding 399 rushing yards and seven rushing scores. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week on multiple occasions during the year.
The 2019 season, however, transformed Burrow from promising starter into college football’s most dominant player. He opened the year with five touchdown passes against Georgia Southern, followed by a 471-yard, four-touchdown performance at Texas, a 398-yard, six-touchdown outing against Vanderbilt, and a 489-yard, five-touchdown game versus Ole Miss. By the time LSU faced Alabama in November, Burrow was considered the leading Heisman Trophy candidate.
LSU Breakthrough (2019)
The 2019 LSU season is widely regarded as one of the greatest in college football history. Burrow led the Tigers to a perfect 15–0 record, capped by a 42–25 victory over Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, where he threw for 463 yards and six total touchdowns and was named the game’s offensive Most Valuable Player.
Along the way, he set multiple records. In the Peach Bowl semifinal against Oklahoma, Burrow threw seven touchdowns in the first half, finishing with eight total touchdowns and 493 passing yards in a 63–28 rout. He finished the season with 60 passing touchdowns, breaking the FBS single-season record, and 5,671 passing yards. He was awarded the 2019 Heisman Trophy by the largest margin in the award’s history and earned virtually every major national player of the year honor, including the AP Player of the Year, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and Manning Award.
Cincinnati Bengals Era (2020–Present)
Burrow was selected first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft, signing a four-year rookie contract worth $36.1 million. He started in Week 1 and quickly set rookie records, including the most completions in a single game by a rookie quarterback with 37 against the Cleveland Browns. A devastating knee injury in Week 11 ended his rookie season, but he returned in 2021 to lead Cincinnati to a 10–7 record, an AFC North title, and a Super Bowl LVI appearance, the franchise’s first since the 1988 season.
In September 2023, Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension, becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history on an annual basis at the time. Despite a wrist injury that cut his 2023 season short, he returned in 2024 to set new career highs with 4,918 passing yards and 43 passing touchdowns, leading the league in both categories. That year, he earned his second Pro Bowl selection, his second NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, and a second consecutive AFC North offensive player of the month honor. He was also named the NFL’s passing yards leader and passing touchdowns leader for 2024.
Driving Style and Strengths
Burrow is widely praised for his accuracy, pocket presence, and football intelligence. Coaches and analysts have highlighted his ability to read defenses quickly, alter plays at the line of scrimmage, and deliver precise ball placement on the move. His partnership with Cincinnati’s coaching staff and star receivers has allowed him to flourish in high-volume passing offenses, while his calm demeanor and competitive fire have earned praise from teammates and opponents alike.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Burrow’s most memorable performances are his 525-yard, four-touchdown game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2021, the largest road playoff win in Bengals history over the Tennessee Titans, and the dramatic 18-point comeback in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He has also earned recognition for his leadership during comebacks, including a five-touchdown performance against the Ravens in 2024 and a four-game winning streak to close the regular season.
Joe Burrow Career Wins
Throughout his career, Joe Burrow has compiled an impressive list of victories at every level. At LSU, he won the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship and a Fiesta Bowl. With the Cincinnati Bengals, he has guided the team to an AFC North title in 2021, an appearance in Super Bowl LVI, and consecutive AFC North crowns in 2021 and 2022.
NFL Highlights
Burrow’s first NFL win came against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. His most recent regular-season victories include a Week 18 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, capping a five-game winning streak. He has earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors multiple times and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for both November and December 2024.
Other Wins & Performances
Burrow led the Bengals to a Wild Card win over the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, ending a postseason drought that had stretched back to 1990. He also earned a Divisional Round victory over the top-seeded Tennessee Titans and an AFC Championship win against the Kansas City Chiefs in the same postseason, both historic road wins for the franchise.
Joe Burrow Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Burrow comes from a deeply athletic family. His father, Jim Burrow, is a longtime football coach and former player, while his mother, Robin Burrow, raised the family through several coaching relocations. His uncle, John Burrow, played football at the University of Mississippi, and two older brothers also played football at the University of Nebraska. The family has long been connected to coaching, with Jim’s stops including Iowa State University, North Dakota State University, and Ohio University.
Personal Life
Burrow is known for his off-field interests, which include chess, the Super Smash Bros. video game series, and a passion for Kid Cudi’s music. He has used his platform to speak out on social issues, including advocating for abortion rights and supporting gun control reforms following the Uvalde school shooting. In 2024, he purchased a replica of the Batmobile from The Dark Knight film trilogy for $2.9 million, adding to a personal car collection.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NFL season began with challenges for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. In the season opener against the Cleveland Browns, Burrow threw for 113 yards and a touchdown. The following week, he suffered a turf toe injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars that required surgery and a projected recovery of at least three months, sending him to injured reserve on September 16, 2025.
Burrow returned to action on November 26, 2025, ahead of Cincinnati’s Thanksgiving matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. In his comeback game, he led the Bengals to a 32–14 victory, throwing two touchdown passes and demonstrating the poise that has defined his career. His return provides a major boost to Cincinnati’s playoff hopes.
With Burrow back under center, the Bengals’ outlook for the remainder of 2025 hinges on his health and continued chemistry with his receiving corps. His leadership and production are expected to remain central to the team’s pursuit of a postseason berth and a return to championship contention.