Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow made some pointed remarks following his team’s loss to the Washington Commanders on Monday night.
There were some of the typical must improve, many games left kind of stuff.
But one comment was a little out of the ordinary and quite interesting. Burrow told reporters he needed to reevaluate his approach as a leader in the locker room.
“I have to do some critical thinking to see what kind of leader I want to be in the future,” Burrow said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, “and what I think the team needs from me in the future.”
No further elaborations, but for outsiders it’s hard not to think about what they might mean.
On the field, at least, Burrow was top-notch in terms of efficiency against the Commanders, completing 29 of his 38 attempts for 324 yards and three touchdown passes. There were some issues in the red zone, which were clearly noticeable in a five-point loss, but the offense was also able to stretch the field and get good plays from an offensive line that now starts with first-round pick Amarius Mims.
Based on the comments, however, it’s reasonable to be concerned about the Bengals’ issues. An 0-3 start, which is historically a bad hole, forces a reevaluation. The next month or so will show whether, if anything, Burrow’s leadership changes help move things in a positive direction.
