Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s level of play has not gone downhill since the team made back-to-back deep runs in the postseason in 2021 and 2022. Despite this, the Bengals have not returned to the playoffs and in 2025 the team had its worst record since Burrow’s rookie season.
Fortunately, the team’s struggles over the past three years appear to be in the past, as Cincinnati has addressed the majority of the issues that plagued them last season.. After allowing the third-most points and having the worst run defense in the NFL, the team was aggressive as they added Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence to their defensive line.
That led Joe Burrow to call it the most talented roster he’s been a part of, which is why expectations are high for the team. Now, with the regular season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one week away, Burrow shared what he’s looking for in the 2026 season.
Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow Shares Honest Message
Joe Burrow was the first guest on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s new podcast. While speaking with his wide receiver, Burrow said, “I just want to win this year. I just want to win.”
Burrow added, “The rest will take care of itself. I think we’ll break a bunch of records eventually, but I think we’re gonna have a really good team, a chance to win every game that we step foot on the field for, and I don’t know about you, but I could really feel it in my bones, in my soul, in OTAs this year, different from years past. … We brought in a lot of the right guys, a lot of the right people with the right mindsets to go and chase this goal of winning a Super Bowl and winning as many games as we can and being the best possible team that we can.”
Regarding the team’s addition of Dexter Lawrence, who the team acquired in a blockbuster trade with the New York Giants, Burrow said, “I’m just excited to see big Dexter out there. I was hanging out with Dex a lot. Quiet, soft-spoken guy, but then the more I’ve been around him, you know, the more energy he has. I’m excited to see it (Lawrence’s in-game trash talk). I’m just excited.”
Joe Burrow’s Expectations
Burrow has not been shy about sharing his Super Bowl expectations this season. Earlier in training camp, Burrow told reporters about his urgency, saying, “You can keep pushing it down the road or you can talk about it now and say this is the year. You know, I’m tired of saying, ‘Next year, next year, next year.’ This is it.”
Burrow added, “Your life is too short to keep pushing things down the road. I’m trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody to go and be great every day and try to make it happen.”
Perhaps most importantly, Burrow will have to stay healthy in order for Cincinnati to fulfill their lofty goals in 2026. The Bengals quarterback has missed significant time in two of the past three seasons, and that has been a big reason as to why the team has missed the postseason.
If Cincinnati’s quarterback is able to stay healthy, and the team’s additions do result in a much-improved defense, the 2026 season could be a special one for the Bengals.
Bengals’ Joe Burrow Shares Honest Message Before Week 1 Opener