In a linear world, the NFL MVP would be decided purely based on stats. And, in that world, Joe Burrow would have been the undisputed winner for the 2024 season. But with the Cincinnati Bengals finishing 9-8, just shy of a playoff berth, his MVP case got diluted.
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Burrow was ranked fourth in the voting and received no first-place votes. The Bengals QB racked up 82 points from the voters, while the winner, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, accumulated 383. Lamar Jackson (2nd in voting) received 362, while Saquon Barkley (3rd) finished with 120.
NFL analyst Chris Simms, however, sees Burrow’s fate in the MVP race as unjust. He argued that if Burrow had gotten even a sliver more help from his defense or offensive line, he would’ve been the league’s Most Valuable Player.
“The guy could have been the MVP of football last year if somebody else just would have helped him on the team a little bit. Maybe they could have played defense,” Simms said on the latest episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
Despite being sacked 48 times, Burrow nearly hit the 5,000-yard passing mark and threw 43 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions. With numbers like that, despite a shambolic O-line in front of him, it’s no wonder Simms placed him at No. 3 in his 2025 quarterback rankings. Burrow is even ahead of Patrick Mahomes. And just behind Allen and Jackson.
And Simms had no shortage of praise for Burrow’s abilities: “If you want to look for perfect in-the-pocket quarterback play… You look at Joe Burrow.”
The former NFL quarterback called Burrow the prototype for West Coast offense QBs. “You want to learn how to play quarterback in the West Coast offense? Let’s watch Joe Burrow because it’s perfection,” added Simms.
What has awed Simms the most was the Bengals QB’s rare ability to stay composed in chaos. “I’m always impressed with the fact that he still keeps his eyes down the field within the middle of the scrum with bodies all around him. That’s where he’s really special,” he said.
Why Burrow edges out other pocket passers?
Comparing Burrow to Justin Herbert, Simms pointed out that the Bengals QB’s escapability and field awareness are the differentiators between the two.
“Burrow doesn’t take a lot of negative plays. Even for the amount of pressure he’s under, it’s amazing how much he gets the ball out of his hands and still makes positives,” said Simms.
When speaking on Burrow’s perceived lack of experimentation and improvisation during plays, like Mahomes does, the analyst simply labelled it as a privilege that the Bengals star can’t afford. “They’re going to score on your defense the next drive. So you have to score 30.”
Simms also listed Burrow’s “top five or six” attributes, which included arm strength, surgical accuracy, and rare discipline in decision-making. The NBC analyst also offered a few minor critiques.
“It seems like it takes them until Week 5 to be Joe Burrow every year,” said Simms, referencing the Bengals’ frequent slow starts.
After laying out all this context on Burrow, Simms himself admitted that calling the Bengals star just the third-best QB might actually be a crime. Would you disagree?
