For all of the jerseys, tickets, and autographs that he has sold throughout the better part of the last decade, Joe Burrow’s biggest fan has remained the same: his mother. Even though he has a reputation for having ice in his veins, the star quarterback still gets nervous from time to time.
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During the 2020 NFL Draft, which also happened to occur in the midst of the infamous COVID-19 pandemic, a then-23-year-old Burrow found himself rattled. Thankfully, his mom, Robin, was there to comfort him throughout the process.
While she did her best to handle the situation with a pair of steady hands, Robin couldn’t help but be reminded of her son’s Heisman award-winning night.
“We were trying to stay quiet and calm so that Joe could do his Joe thing, which is kind of always be in the zone and focus. I felt like he was a little nervous, probably more excited, but he had some nerves for sure. It kind of just threw me back to the Heisman night, honestly… Just so proud of him and all of the hard work that he put in, and there he was. It’s amazing,” she recalled.
The Cincinnati Bengals certainly gave Burrow and his family a night to remember, but his Heisman crowning ceremony holds an equally special place in the hearts of both the Burrows and LSU football fans from across the nation. The 2019 LSU Tigers are regarded as one of the greatest collegiate football teams that have ever been assembled. For Burrow to be recognized as the best player on one of the best rosters of all time, in a landslide vote no less, is nothing short of monumental.
In giving her account of those historical events, Robin couldn’t help to become emotional, and rightfully so. They confirmed her beliefs that her son is, in fact, one of the greatest quarterbacks playing the game today, a series of recognitions that most football moms can only dream of for their children.
However, she maintains that there is a difference between the superstar that fans see on the field and her son at home.
“For me, Superstar Joe is one person and then our Joey is another person. He’s still just our son and we’re still just as nervous every single game, proud of him every single game, as we were when he was eight years old. I think, as a parent, it’s the same across many, many years. Certainly it is a lot more intense now, but it’s still the same feeling.”
While the “Joe Brr” and “Joe Cool” monikers certainly give an air of invincibility to the 28-year-old gunslinger, it’s endearing to know that Burrow is backed by a supportive and loving family. Despite what his divisional rivals may think, the tear-jerking interviews featuring his mother serve as a reminder that Burrow is actually human after all.
Nevertheless, he’ll look to take up his icy persona once again as the 2025 regular season rapidly approaches. The Bengals haven’t had a playoff win since 2022, and someone has to put an end to the drought. According to Robin, there’s no doubt in her motherly mind that her son is the hero that the franchise is looking for.
