The Cincinnati Bengals knew they needed to make changes after another disappointing season in 2026, but perhaps the biggest change this team made was to its offseason process. Rather than focusing on the offensive side of the ball, the Bengals revamped their defense in an effort to properly support star quarterback Joe Burrow and company moving forward.
When Burrow has been on the field for Cincy, it has been one of the best teams in the NFL over the past few years. That’s due in large part to his superb play under center, and while the 2026 campaign is still months away, one insider recently predicted that Burrow would take home the MVP Award this upcoming season.
Insider Drops Joe Burow MVP Prediction
In 2025, Burrow missed the majority of the year due to a severe turf toe injury, and without him, Cincinnati struggled. In his eight games on the field, Burrow looked like himself (173/259, 1,809 YDS, 17 TD, 5 INT), but the Bengals’ inability to win games on a consistent basis when he wasn’t on the field resulted in another lost season.
While he doesn’t always get mentioned in the same breath as guys like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, when Cincy’s offense is clicking, Burrow is arguably better than all of these guys. Even though the Bengals missed the playoffs in 2024, you can make a case that Burrow was actually the player most deserving of winning the MVP Award (460/652, 4,918 YDS, 43 TD, 9 INT). Instead, Cincinnati’s struggles led to him finishing in fourth place.
With a new-look defense in tow, and guys like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown working alongside him on offense, this is the most complete roster the Bengals have featured in some time. A lot still has to go this team’s way, but NFL insider Jason La Canfora of casino.us believes that Burrow should be the frontrunner to win the MVP Award heading into the new season for a couple of different reasons.
“Burrow is the NFL’s highest rated passer from Nov-Jan in the regular season during his time in the NFL, and this is an award where the human element matters,” La Canfora wrote. “A few years back Josh Allen won it over Lamar Jackson, despite having a far less impactful season, because they felt it was his turn. Well, Burrow has never won the award, and if, as one GM put it to me – the Bengals are ‘the team to beat’ in the AFC, this may be his best and most-complete season yet.”
Could Joe Burrow Win the MVP Award in 2026?
GettyCincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow landed a bold prediction
After making it to the Super Bowl in 2021, we haven’t really seen the Bengals operate at peak efficiency since then. The team won 12 games in 2022, but it was bounced by the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs, and they have missed the postseason entirely for the past three years now. Injuries plagued Burrow in 2023 and 2025, while a horrific defense tanked the team in 2024.
Winning the first step when it comes to drawing MVP consideration, and simply put, the Bengals haven’t won enough for Burrow to be a true candidate for the award in recent years. That could change in the blink of an eye in 2026, though, and if it does, Burrow could very well live up to this lofty billing from La Canfora. A lot would have to go his way, but when he’s at his best, Burrow has proven himself capable of being an MVP-caliber player.
Bengals’ Joe Burrow Draws Bold MVP Prediction for 2026 Campaign