Joe Burrow has eased concerns about his long-term future, making it clear he is no longer considering an early NFL retirement.
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, now 29 and entering his seventh NFL season, opened up about how his mindset has changed after dealing with injuries throughout his career.
Joe Burrow Opens Up on Retirement
Speaking with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Burrow admitted that he once thought about walking away from football earlier than most quarterbacks.
“I used to think I didn’t want to play very long, and now I’m like, I’m just going to go until I can’t do it anymore. This is fun to do. What the [expletive] else would I do?” Burrow said.
Joe Burrow when asked how long he wants to play, via @AlbertBreer:
“I used to think I didn’t want to play very long, and now I’m like, I’m just going to go until I can’t do it anymore. This is fun to do. What the hell else would I do?”https://t.co/ZLtBGslhnr pic.twitter.com/0beGrzNInv
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 31, 2026
Burrow’s change of heart should come as welcome news for Bengals fans. Rather than putting a timeline on his career, the quarterback now wants to keep playing as long as his body allows.
When healthy, Burrow has established himself as one of the NFL’s top passers. He completed the 2024 season with 4,918 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and nine interceptions across all 17 games, finishing with a 108.5 passer rating.
His 2025 campaign was cut short after eight games, but he still posted 1,809 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He received a PFN QB Impact Grade of 80, good enough to rank tenth in the league, just ahead of Patrick Mahomes (79.0).
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Joe Burrow Eyes Another Big Season
Burrow enters 2026 with plenty of talent around him. He will again have star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as primary weapons, while tight end Erick All Jr. continues to develop.
The Bengals have also made several major additions this offseason, including edge rusher Boye Mafe, who signed a three-year, $60 million deal, and safety Bryan Cook, who agreed to a three-year contract worth more than $40 million. Cincinnati also signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen to a two-year contract.
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Burrow has previously described Cincinnati’s current roster as one of the most talented the team has assembled, raising expectations heading into the new season.
“We got guys that work really hard to put themselves in position to perform well, perform to our standard,” Burrow said. “We haven’t necessarily done that for a couple of years, so we brought some guys in who have been there and done that and have their own standard of play and are going to live up to that.”
The biggest question, as always, will be health. Burrow has dealt with significant injuries during his career, and keeping him on the field remains critical to Cincinnati’s Super Bowl hopes.
The Bengals will begin their 2026 regular season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13.
For now, though, retirement appears to be far from Burrow’s mind. The quarterback seems ready to keep playing until his body tells him otherwise.
