Fanatics Fest has taken New York City by storm, transforming the Javits Center into a sports fan’s paradise. Athletes and superstars from across the sporting landscape, including basketball, football, and the WWE, have created an electric atmosphere. However, the three-day event has also produced some unexpected viral moments that have sent social media into overdrive.
The latest athlete to face the internet’s wrath was Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Despite establishing himself as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, Burrow struggled mightily during a baseball pitching target practice segment at the Fanatics Games. Social media predictably erupted with jokes and commentary about his performance.
Fans Roast Joe Burrow for Baseball Pitching Struggles
A clip posted by Darren Rovell (see below) quickly went viral on Saturday. In the minute-long video, Burrow attempted to hit a stationary target with baseballs. It wasn’t until his sixth attempt, more than halfway through the video, that the Bengals quarterback managed to get anywhere near the target.
His errant throws repeatedly struck the backdrop and side walls rather than finding their mark. Even after finally connecting with the target once, Burrow’s struggles continued, with his final two attempts landing on the side wall and just above the target.
The typically precise quarterback, who boasts the highest career completion percentage in NFL history at 68.6% and has recorded two seasons above 70%, couldn’t translate his football accuracy to the baseball diamond. The performance unleashed a wave of social media reactions.
Some fans were quick to call it “embarrassing as hell,” while others questioned whether the video was authentic.
“This cannot be real,” one fan argued. But most observers shared a similar assessment of the NFL star’s performance. “That’s brutal. How embarrassing,” another fan reiterated.
That’s brutal.
How embarrassing. https://t.co/xGY3s4JCOU– CrashDavis (@CrashDavis8) June 21, 2025
Some observers found humor in Burrow’s throwing mechanics. “Couldn’t throw a baseball more like a football if I tried lmao,” one fan observed, while another added, “Literally throws it like a football lol.”
Literally throws it like a football lol
– ACC (@acchon13) June 21, 2025
One observer attributed the struggles to muscle memory from years of quarterback training. “He’s out throwing a baseball like it’s a football — pretty hilarious to watch. It’s almost like throwing a football is so ingrained in him he can’t stop.”
He’s out throwing a baseball like it’s a football pretty hilarious to watch it’s almost like throwing a football it so ingrained in him he can’t stop
– Mike F (@Fish7718) June 21, 2025
Others viewed the incident as symptomatic of broader trends in youth sports, arguing, “High school QBs used to be starting pitchers in the spring. Too much one-sport specialization going on these days.”
hIgh school QBs used to be starting pitchers in the spring
too much one-sport specialization going on these days
– Quantius Pilate (@QuantiusPilate) June 21, 2025
Inevitably, some critics took their commentary too far. Rather than acknowledging Burrow’s elite quarterback play — he ranked fifth in Pro Football Network’s QB+ metric last season with an 88.5 grade — they attempted to diminish his achievements. “Burrow is carried by elite coaching and 2 WR1s, smh.”
Burrow is carried by elite coaching and 2 WR1s, smh
– SMH 🌱🪴 (@staysolovv) June 21, 2025
A lighthearted moment at a fan event won’t define Burrow’s legacy or ability as a quarterback.
However, after the Bengals missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons despite Burrow’s record-breaking 2024 campaign — where he led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns — the pressure will intensify for the franchise quarterback to lead Cincinnati back to the postseason in 2025.