There's an incredible story behind how Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow ended up being neighbors
The story about how Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were able to play together for the first time in the NFL is already an incredible story, especially because the two were also teammates at LSU. Reportedly, when the Cincinnati Bengals front office asked Burrow who to draft with the overall number 5 pick, he urged them to draft Chase. In addition to being the foundational pieces of the Bengals franchise, the two share something else. They are also neighbors.
How did Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase become neighbors?
On an episode of Hear that Podcast Growlin, host Paul Dehner told the story of how, after the Bengals drafted Chase to the same team as his old college teammate Burrow, Chase also wanted to live by his quarterback. Chase decided to go to Burrow’s neighborhood and knock on the doors of the houses in the area until he found a homeowner willing to sell.
Dehner said on his podcast:
“He basically went around and was like, ‘Hi! I’m Ja’Marr Chase. I have lots of money, and I want to buy the house.’ Eventually, he found somebody that he bought it from, and now they’re neighbors.”
The rest is history. Now the two former LSU Tigers are representing the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
For the 2021 regular NFL season, Joe Burrow threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdown passes against 14 interceptions on his way to winning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award after he bounced back from a devastating knee injury toward the end of his rookie season.
Ja’Marr Chase, for his part, won the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award and also garnered 2nd team All-Pro. Chase had 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and caught 13 touchdown passes from his neighbor, Burrow.
Given the Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase history dating back to college and an immediate Super Bowl berth, it seems that the Bengals made the right choice in drafting two players with good chemistry on and off the field. Even the two young players’ dads are friends who are proudly sharing in their sons’ glory.
Jimmy Chase 🤝 Jimmy Burrow
Smoke em if you got ‘em 💨 https://t.co/eKVkJ7TOKV
The Cincinnati Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams for the Lombardi Trophy this Sunday, February 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Rams are 4-point favorites against the Bengals.