Is Joe Burrow … Joe Namath?
The Bengals quarterback arrived in a furry coat, black turtleneck, encrusted necklace and sunglasses to protect him from any glare from the diamonds.
Burrow then strutted into Patrick Mahomes’ home and beat the Chiefs.
It was stunning. Cincinnati’s seven-point underdogs won in overtime and won the AFC title. Burrow is now headed to the Super Bowl, where he plans to beat another favorite in its home stadium.
Burrow is an embodiment of Namath. Draped in confidence. Walking guarantees.
Namath and Burrow have numerous gridiron similarities — Northerners who led a Southeastern Conference school to a national title, then were nabbed first overall to resuscitate a franchise. The last time the Bengals were in the Super Bowl, their current coach was 5 years old. And Joe Burrow has them back in just his second NFL season under center.
Now, there will never be another Namath, if only because of the stakes. As quarterback for the underdog Jets in Super Bowl III, he was up against not just an opponent, but a whole league and a mindset — that the teams of the AFL were inferior to those of the NFL. Namath rewrote the nation’s narrative.
And there will never be another Namath, if only because of the era of his aura. The unflappable and flamboyant quarterback played in New York City, took over New York City, epitomized New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was the star the stars wanted to meet.
But Burrow sure channels Namath in a modern way in the modern day, when a player’s Broadway can really be the information superhighway. And the Internet adores Burrow’s bravado.
And one can onto imagine the virtual reaction if Joe Burrow joins Joe Namath and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks to win a college national title and the Super Bowl.
Speaking of which …
Is Joe Burrow … Joe Montana?
The famed 49ers quarterback is actually as much a part of Bengals history as any other player, considering he beat Cincinnati in both of its Super Bowl appearances. All the years later, the Bengals might have a Montana of their own.
Yes, calling this Joe that Joe is putting the cart before the horse — Montana won four Super Bowls (and never lost one, either). But both Burrow and Mahomes seem equipped to become Montanas of this generation — though, like New England’s Tom Brady and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, they might get in each other’s way on the way to AFC titles.
To me, the accuracy of the Montana-Burrow comparison is because of accuracy. This season — Burrow’s second as the starter — he led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4). In Montana’s first and second seasons as the starter, he led the NFL in completion percentage (and in his sixth, eighth and 10th, too).
Montana was in his second season when he made his first Super Bowl.
Same for Burrow.
Montana was 25.
Same for Burrow.
And both were blessed with a wide receiver seemingly dropped from the heavens (and never dropped heaves). Montana, of course, had Jerry Rice. And Burrow has Ja’Marr Chase. The latter duo won the national title together at Louisiana State. And in Chase’s first season — this very season — he hauled in 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is only 21 years old.
But before Burrow can win four, he first needs to win his first.
Is Joe Burrow … Joe Flacco? Joe Theismann? Joe Kapp?
Burrow has indeed reached the Super Bowl, something they can never take from him. And it’s something they can never take from Joe Kapp, either — yet some of you are Googling that name right now. Kapp quarterbacked the Minnesota Vikings to Super IV, won by the Kansas City Chiefs. It was his only Super Bowl appearance.
And Joe Flacco won the Super Bowl and its MVP award for the Ravens. He was immediately immortalized in the football canon. But he’s not headed to Canton. In fact, he only had two more winning seasons with Baltimore after winning the Super Bowl.
Unlike Burrow, Joe Theismann never won the Heisman. But he did win an NFL MVP award. And he won the Super Bowl. Appeared in another, but only won the one.
Here’s thinking that Burrow will have a greater career than those Joes. But making it to the Super Bowl is such (such!) a difficult journey. Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers had a combined 23 Pro Bowl seasons, yet they each made one Super Bowl. It really puts in perspective Brady’s greatness, doesn’t it?
If anything, we know that Burrow is no Average Joe. He’s exceeded the likes of Joe Pisarcik and Joe Reed and former St. Louis Rams backup Joe Germaine (as well as Billy Joe Tolliver and Billy Joe Hobert; Billy Joe, the running back, played for a few teams and was on the Namath Jets that won the Super Bowl … but he didn’t play in that Super Bowl).
And so, here in 2022, the stage is set for Burrow to become his own Joe.
