Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow revealed who he thinks is better in certain aspects between Ohio and Louisiana when he was featured on Complex Sports’ ‘Here or There’ podcast. He has ample knowledge of the two states because Burrow played high school football in The Plains, Ohio, and suited up for Ohio State from 2015 to 2017. Later, the Iowa native transferred to LSU to play his final two seasons before being selected first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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Burrow chose Ohio as the state with the better scenery because of its rolling hills and the better nightlife, as he didn’t go out as much at LSU. He also thinks the ‘Buckeye State’ has better weather because there are more seasons. Meanwhile, the 2022 Pro Bowler had Louisiana with the better music (Boosie, YoungBoy), fashion, and sports culture since there are fewer teams to cheer for.
The clincher is the better state cuisine-wise, with a score of three apiece. Burrow broke the tie by selecting Louisiana, especially their fried food. It was so good that he quickly packed additional pounds the first time he arrived at Baton Rouge, the LSU campus site.
“Louisiana has better food. Fried food is just better. I gained 15 pounds my first summer there.”
No one knows how heavy Burrow was after the additional 15 pounds. However, what’s known is his heightened responsibility after being named starting quarterback in his first season at LSU. Therefore, he needed to eat healthier to perform better because the Tigers depended more on him.
Joe Burrow chooses between Louisiana and Ohio on a new episode of #HereOrThere 🌎 @JoeyB
"Louisiana's fans are more passionate…" pic.twitter.com/TJl1mIkjjb
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) July 1, 2024
The change in eating habits could be one of the factors that helped Burrow win the Tigers a CFP National Championship. He showed his peak form during that title game against Clemson, throwing for 463 yards and five touchdowns.
Why Burrow had Louisiana for Better Fashion and Sports Culture
Burrow preferred Louisiana’s fashion because it’s more “street style” than Ohio’s. Perhaps that’s where he gets inspiration for the pre-game outfits that prompted The New York Times to hail him as one of their 93 Most Stylish People in 2022.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old chose Louisiana sports culture because fanbases are “more passionate” and not thinly spread out. There are only three professional sports teams in the state: the New Orleans Saints (NFL), the New Orleans Pelicans (NBA), and the New Orleans Gold (Major League Rugby).
Compare that to Ohio, which has eight professional sports teams, including the Bengals and the Cleveland Browns. Ohio also has several minor-league baseball teams, auto racing events, and golf tournaments.
In college football, Burrow’s alma mater is one of five Louisiana teams under the NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision. Meanwhile, Ohio has 13 Division and 1 FBS teams, including Burrow’s former school.
However, while the young quarterback chose Louisiana in those categories, the Bengals fanbase loves him because he helped revive the team’s NFL relevance after a five-year postseason drought. Turning the team into a legitimate contender that reached Super Bowl LVI made him one of the highest-paid players in average yearly salary (five years, $275 million).
