Rumors around Joe Burrow’s long-term future with the Cincinnati Bengals have been doing the rounds since last week, and ahead of Week 16, the franchise quarterback offered a cryptic response about his career and his future in the NFL during a press conference.
Joe Burrow Addresses Trade Speculation About His Bengals Future
On Wednesday, Burrow was asked point-blank during a chat with reporters whether there was any scenario in which he wouldn’t be the Bengals’ quarterback next season.
“I can’t see that, no,” Burrow said. The 29-year-old later acknowledged that he has, at times, considered broader possibilities about his career, though not in a way that suggested an imminent departure from Cincinnati.
“You think about a lot of things,” Burrow said when asked if he had ever thought about the possibility of not being with the Bengals during his career.
Burrow emphasized that despite recent speculation, his desire to continue playing football has never wavered.
“A lot of crazy things happen every year,” Burrow said. “Micah Parsons got traded right before the season, I think, this year. That is something I haven’t seen in a long time in the NFL, so crazy things can happen.”
Reporter: “Is there any world you’re not the QB of the Bengals next year?”
Joe Burrow: “I can’t see that, no.”
Reporter: “Have you ever thought about the possibility of not being here during your career?”
Burrow: “You think about a lot of things…”
Full back-and-forth ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/yoIfkZCn8E
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 17, 2025
Burrow’s comments come after he made a return to the field after being sidelined for much of the season since he suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2. The Bengals quarterback missed significant time over the past two seasons while recovering from wrist and toe surgeries.
The injury he suffered this season took 10 weeks to recover, which has given Burrow time to reflect on both his career and his relationship with the game. Despite questions being raised last week about him potentially looking for new opportunities, Burrow made it clear on Wednesday that his commitment to football remains unchanged.
“I’m going to be playing for a long time,” Burrow said. “I expect to play for a long time, and I expect to play well and consistently great for a long time.”
“It feels like everybody’s trying to do everything in their power to make me not play football and I feel like I’m fighting it,” Burrow added. “I’m fighting everybody else. I just want to play ball. That’s all I want to do.”
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The Bengals have gone 16-14 in games Burrow has started and finished since their AFC Championship run following the 2022 season. Injuries have played a major role in Cincinnati missing the playoffs for three straight years.
With a 4-10 record, the Bengals were one of the first teams to be ruled out of postseason contention. Since Burrow’s return, the team’s most recent outing — a 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens– has been the most difficult, as he was held without a touchdown and picked off twice.
“It’s hard to make an impact on a season when you’ve played four games,” he added. “I need to figure out a way to be available for everybody here.”
Burrow was ranked 30th among quarterbacks per PFSN’s QB Impact ranking with a 67.2 rating, just slightly better than Shedeur Sanders and Kenny Pickett. Over his last three appearances since returning, Burrow has thrown for 770 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions.
