Joe Burrow’s path to the NFL wasn’t easy. Raised in a struggling part of Ohio, he spent three years buried on the bench at Ohio State before finally getting his opportunity at LSU. In Baton Rouge, he fulfilled the promise many saw in him, becoming a collegiate superstar and winning the Heisman Trophy. That breakout season catapulted him to the top of the 2020 NFL Draft, where he returned home as the No. 1 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Since entering the league, Burrow’s NFL journey has been a mix of highs and setbacks. He led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance, proving he can thrive on the big stage. But injuries have also stalled his progress at times. Still, the Bengals remained committed to him and rewarded that belief in a big way, long before his rookie deal even expired.
Originally signed to a four-year, $36.19 million rookie contract, as per Spotrac, Burrow received a massive extension in the 2023 offseason: a five-year, $275 million deal. That marked a staggering $239 million jump and, at the time, made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
Though Dak Prescott has since overtaken him, Burrow remains tied with three other quarterbacks for the highest annual average at $55 million per year. He received a $40 million signing bonus and, most notably, secured $219.01 million in guaranteed money.
That’s nearly four years of salary locked in, regardless of injuries. The deal stands out especially because the Bengals have built a reputation as one of the league’s more frugal franchises. They operate in one of the NFL’s smallest markets and have historically avoided offering long-term guarantees beyond two years.
But they broke their own mold for Burrow, betting big on their franchise quarterback despite his injury history, which includes over a dozen missed games in his first five seasons. It’s a bold move—and a powerful statement of trust in their centerpiece for the future.
In 2025, Joe Shiesty will earn a base salary of $25,25 million and a signing bonus of $10 million, while carrying a cap hit of $45.99 million.
The LSU alum expressed his joy after signing the deal in 2023, acknowledging how much it meant to finally be rewarded after watching several other quarterbacks receive new contracts before him.
For Burrow, it was validation that his hard work and persistence had paid off. He remains committed to the promise he made to himself—to be the best player and person he can be for the organization. Still, he knows the job isn’t complete and believes there’s much more left to accomplish.
“Means a lot. I work really hard to perform well on the field and think a lot about how I handle myself and how I can be the best me for this organization. And so to be rewarded for that, it means a lot to me. But, a lot more to do.”
After missing most of the 2023–24 season, Joe Burrow returned spectacularly, throwing for nearly 5,000 yards with 43 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. His impressive comeback earned him the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award for the second time in his career. However, despite his strong performance, it wasn’t enough to lift the Bengals into the playoffs, marking their second straight season missing the postseason.
Joe Burrow still has work to do if he hopes to return to the Super Bowl—and this time, come out on top. While there are still several individual milestones ahead of him, there’s little doubt he’ll reach them. Time and again, he has shown that he knows how to overcome adversity.
