Joe Burrow once revealed the moment at LSU that made him realize his true potential
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow spent three years at Ohio State before moving to the LSU Tigers as a graduate transfer in 2018. During his first three years, he got little to no opportunity at Ohio State. However, he was named the starting quarterback at LSU in his first season and left quite an impression.
After a 10-3 record in 2018, Burrow produced a historic season in 2019. He threw for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns, leading the team to the national championship.
On the Full Send Podcast in April 2022, Burrow revealed that it was in the spring after his first season at LSU that he knew he was on the right path.
“I had a really good spring ball after my first year there,” Burrow said. “The first year, I was trying to figure out how to play football again. I hadn’t played football in three, three and a half years. So I was getting the feel of things again, remembering how to move in the pocket, make people miss. I hadn’t done that in so long.
“That first year was just kind of a feeling-out process, then that second year, it kind of all clicked for me. We had a lot of guys coming back. Obviously, we had Ja’Marr [Chase], Justin [Jefferson], Clyde [Edwards-Helaire]. All those guys you see balling in the league. We had really good players.”
Joe Burrow declared for the 2020 NFL draft, where he was picked first overall by the Bengals.
Joe Burrow grateful for opportunity LSU presented in college football
Like he did at LSU, Joe Burrow proved his mettle in the NFL in just his second season. He helped the Bengals to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. Ahead of his first Super Bowl appearance, Burrow thanked the LSU Tigers for their support, which shaped his career.
"LSU means everything to me. They gave me this opportunity to put myself in this position to be talking to everybody today," Burrow told reporters in February 2022. "I wouldn't have had that opportunity if I hadn't gone down there and work really hard for what I got.
"The fans really embraced me as one of their own and I tried to do the best I could when I was there representing LSU and Louisiana in a very good way. I think the fans really appreciate when somebody from the outside really embraces their culture."
Burrow threw for 263 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams would go on to win the game 23-20 and Burrow has since been itching to get back to the Super Bowl.