The Cincinnati Bengals are heading into the 2026 offseason at a crossroads. After a 6-11 campaign derailed by Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury early in the year, the franchise is staring at a long list of questions-and one very clear priority: keeping their franchise quarterback at the center of it all.
That’s exactly what running back Chase Brown emphasized when asked about Burrow’s future in Cincinnati.
“Joe's not going anywhere,” Brown said in a recent interview. “I think that was totally blown out of proportion. It was definitely a good talking point for people… It gave the media a lot to talk about and probably made [Burrow's] Twitter notifications go off, but Joe's not going anywhere.”
Brown’s comment comes in response to a wave of speculation that followed Burrow’s December press conference, where the quarterback made some introspective remarks that raised eyebrows.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I have been through a lot.
And if it's not fun, then what am I doing it for?” Burrow said at the time.
Now, let’s be clear-Burrow never requested a trade, never hinted at retirement, and in fact, finished out the regular season. But the tone of his comments, combined with the Bengals’ frustrating year, was enough to spark concern.
Was this the beginning of a slow fade, a la Andrew Luck? Could Burrow be mulling a way out of Cincinnati?
That narrative gained traction, especially as the Bengals limped to the finish line, missing the playoffs and looking like a team far removed from their AFC title game form just two seasons ago.
But Burrow, as he’s done throughout his career, kept it honest. After the season, he didn’t sugarcoat the state of the team.
“We certainly are not where we need or want to be, not where I expect to be,” he said. “We have to figure it out.”
That’s the challenge now for Cincinnati’s front office. The Bengals have their guy under center.
That much is clear. The real question is whether they can build a roster around Burrow that’s capable of getting back into the postseason mix-and staying there.
This offseason will be pivotal. The Bengals need to shore up their offensive line-again-and continue to invest in a defense that can hold its own in a loaded AFC.
Burrow’s injury history is a concern, no doubt, and keeping him upright has to be priority number one. But it’s about more than just protection.
It’s about giving him a roster that can compete, week in and week out.
The free agency window and NFL Draft will offer some key opportunities to do just that. Cincinnati has the cap space and draft capital to make moves. The question is whether they’ll be aggressive enough to capitalize.
For now, though, one thing seems certain: Joe Burrow isn’t going anywhere. And if the Bengals can give him the right pieces, they might not be far from turning things around.