Since the merger in 1970, only three quarterbacks have earned the NFL’s triple crown. That means leading the league in passing yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage in the same season. Kurt Warner did it in 2001 with the Greatest Show on Turf, Tom Brady did it in 2007 during New England’s 16-0 season, and Drew Brees did it in 2011 when he set the single-season record for passing yards. Joe Burrow nearly joined their ranks in 2024.
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He led the league in passing yards (4,918) and passing TDs (43) but fell just a few completions short of leading in completion percentage, at 70.6. The major difference is that Warner won 14 games, Brady won 16, and Brees won 13. Burrow won just nine and missed the playoffs.
It was the second straight year that Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals fell short of the postseason. And despite those gaudy numbers, some NFL analysts, like Super Bowl 45 winner James Jones, believe that the lack of playoff appearances (as well as individual accolades, of which Burrow has surprisingly few) make it tough to keep him in the top echelon of QBs.
“It’s a must. No All-Pros. No MVPs. … Then now you’re telling me we’re gonna add no All-Pros, no MVPs, and you miss the playoffs three years in a row? And we’re still gonna sit up here and put you over dudes that have Super Bowl MVPs, dudes that’s been on the same amount of weak teams that you’ve been on. … And we’re gonna still put you in the top four in front of them?”
.@89JonesNTAF puts the pressure on Joe Burrow for a playoff appearance this season:
“No All Pros, no MVPs, you’ve missed the playoffs 3 years in a row…I can’t put you with Mahomes, Lamar and Allen.” pic.twitter.com/ShkPipXWVk
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) May 29, 2025
Jones went on to say that if Burrow does miss the playoffs again in 2025, regardless of the support he gets, we’re going to have to start having the discussion about whether he really is a top-five signal caller in the league right now.
“I’m not, so I’m finna just let the quarterback have it in this situation. … No, I’m going to have him in that elite conversation. Because I can’t put him in that elite conversation if it’s three years in a row you do not make the playoffs.”
.@89JonesNTAF doubles down on not labeling Joe Burrow a Top 5 QB if he misses the playoffs 3 straight times pic.twitter.com/IweSCtTC9t
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) May 30, 2025
Jones has got a point. You don’t see many elite QBs missing the playoffs, much less in consecutive seasons. However, it’s hard not to be impressed by what Burrow has been able to accomplish, considering the defense and offensive line he has. Since 2021, Burrow’s 164 sacks are second only to Russell Wilson. Across the last two seasons, Cincy’s defense has given up the seventh-most points and the 2nd-most total yards.
However, Jones was not buying it. He went down the line of Burrow’s eight losses and took a look at whether the defense was really to blame. The former wideout actually made a compelling argument that in those eight losses, the defense was often not to blame. Instead, it was a key Burrow turnover or the opposing QB outplaying Burrow.
Unfortunately, the Bengals’ moves during this offseason paint a picture of a front office that doesn’t understand their weaknesses anyway. Burrow took 48 sacks last year, tied for the third-most, and they didn’t draft a lineman until the third round of the draft or sign anyone of note during free agency either.
Instead, they spent a gajillion dollars on two extensions for two receivers. We saw how that formula worked last year, so we’re not sure why they’re running it back again in 2025. The definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. So, are the Bengals insane?
