The Cincinnati Bengals are looking forward to the 2026 NFL season. Cincinnati had a rough 2025 campaign, watching as quarterback Joe Burrow missed a good amount of time with injury issues. Cincinnati was unable to overcome the loss of its franchise quarterback for most of the season.
Training camp offers renewed hope to all teams, including the Bengals. Cincinnati has Burrow back healthy, and he has looked good in training camp so far.
However, some are wondering if there’s a bit of trouble in paradise. Some took note of a recent gesture made by Burrow in a press conference, and that gesture has one NFL analyst somewhat concerned for the future.
NFL Analyst Worried About Bengals-Joe Burrow Relationship After 3-Word Message on Hat
Burrow did his usual media availability following his team’s preseason win over the Detroit Lions.
During this availability, he wore a green hat with white text reading, “I work here.” This sparked a lot of discussion, and NFL analyst Rich Eisen joined that conversation during a recent episode of “The Rich Eisen Show.”
“There is a problem. One out of three interpretations, it’s a problem. 33%, there’s a problem already,” Eisen said on his show.
Eisen’s point stems from the phrasing on the hat and how the phrase is being delivered. He mentioned how emphasis on certain words within that phrase could make it sound like Burrow is saying, “I just work here,” which sounds like something a disgruntled employee says.
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Of course, Eisen acknowledged that there are innocent explanations for the hat as well, offering that the star quarterback could have been wearing it to support a friend’s business. However, the veteran NFL analyst was not convinced.
“Now, it could be a friend saying, ‘Hey, could you wear my hat?’ and he says, ‘Sure.’ And he doesn’t realize that the words ‘I work here’ are on his hat, or doesn’t care, or that we would read into it at all. But I think we’re past that,” Eisen said.
Burrow has been a star quarterback in the NFL for some time. He led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in 2021, though they lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
In 2025, he was limited to 8 games, throwing a little over 1,800 yards and tossing 17 touchdowns to 5 interceptions.
The Bengals certainly hope his choice of fashion following the win over the Lions is nothing suggestive. Cincinnati is going to need its franchise quarterback firing on all cylinders if it wishes to compete again in 2026.
