The Cincinnati Bengals have high expectations in the 2026 season. The offseason has been filled with positivity as the team has undergone a roster makeover that featured a free agency spending spree and a blockbuster trade for three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence.
Those moves have practically removed all the disappointment that came during the 2025 season. In 2025, the Bengals had their worst record since Joe Burrow’s rookie season, and it led to some concerning comments from Burrow that resulted in questions about his future with the team.
Those concerns seem to have gone away for the time being; however, one NFL analyst has shared his thoughts on Burrow’s future if things were to go awry in 2026.
Cincinnati Bengals Get Warning on Joe Burrow’s Future
While appearing on the Bill Simmons podcast, The Ringer’s Todd McShay said of Burrow and his time in Cincinnati, “He’s just different. But this thing has eroded him, like physically, emotionally. I kind of want to see him go somewhere else if this year isn’t, ‘Hey, we’re back in the playoffs, things are rolling.’”
McShay then compared Burrow’s situation with Matthew Stafford’s time with the Detroit Lions. Similar to how Stafford joined the Los Angeles Rams, McShay said he wanted something similar for Burrow: “I wouldn’t mind seeing a Stafford-like situation. It isn’t as dismal in Cincinnati. They obviously made the Super Bowl, but I want to see elite, special players wind up with opportunities where they can actually go and be themselves.”
Regarding McShay’s comments, Bengals Wire’s Duncan Day wrote: “A Burrow departure is speculative since he’s signed through the 2029 season and has given no public indication that he wants to leave Cincinnati. The Bengals also made an aggressive effort to strengthen the roster this offseason, increasing the pressure to turn their recent postseason drought around.
At the moment, McShay’s scenario hinges on another disappointing season. And winning would make the conversation much easier for Cincinnati to dismiss.”
Joe Burrow’s Future in Cincinnati
Burrow’s future in Cincinnati tends to be a topic of conversation when the Bengals struggle. Few elite quarterbacks miss the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, as Joe Burrow has. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford missed the postseason in four consecutive seasons before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
Additionally, Burrow began showing signs of desperation last season as he said after a loss against the Buffalo Bills, “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.”
While Burrow later clarified that his comments had nothing to do with the Cincinnati Bengals, it feels unlikely that the quarterback will have fun if the team misses the postseason for a fourth consecutive year. Perhaps what would make matters worse is that Cincinnati enters the 2026 season with Super Bowl aspirations, as Burrow even said this is the most talented roster he’s been a part of.
Bengals Get Stern Warning on Joe Burrow Before Week 1