The 2023 season saw Joe Burrow and the Bengals lose a critical game to the Houston Texans in November. But after seeing the Texans get even better through the addition of Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the Bengals quarterback appeared to have a response to the big trade.
Taking to Instagram, Burrow seemed to indicate that he’s tuning out the noise:
“Blinders on… goal oriented,” Burrow wrote today.
Granted, that’s a bit of a general statement that might be referring to his general preparation for the 2024 season. He’s recovering from surgery on his arm and is reportedly back to throwing the ball.
Burrow played his last full game of the 2023 season against the Texans. He completed 27 of 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in a 30-27 home loss.
Four days later, Burrow came off with an injured arm on Thursday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens and never returned to the field. The Bengals would go on to win four of their final seven games thanks to some brilliant quarterbacking from Jake Browning, but narrowly missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record.
The AFC North is already one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, sending six Wild Card teams to the playoffs in just the past four years.
But the AFC as a whole is becoming an absolute meat grinder for NFL teams. And it won’t be any easier for Burrow’s Bengals with the good teams getting better all the time.