Joe Burrow won’t have to deal with one of the NFL’s most relentless - and most vocal - defenders this week.
The Miami Dolphins are releasing linebacker Matthew Judon ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium, according to multiple reports. That move takes one of the league’s most experienced pass rushers off the board just days before a high-stakes December clash.
Judon, a four-time Pro Bowler, was in his first season with Miami. He appeared in 13 games but didn’t quite make the impact Dolphins fans might’ve hoped for, finishing with 19 tackles and no sacks. It’s a surprising stat line for a player who’s built his career on getting to the quarterback - and letting him hear about it afterward.
Burrow knows that firsthand.
Back in 2022, the Bengals quarterback called Judon the “best trash-talker in the league” during an appearance on the Full Send Podcast. Burrow recalled his rookie season, when he faced Judon during a game against the Ravens - one of the few chances he got before an injury cut that year short.
“Matt Judon - Patriots. Best trash-talker in the league,” Burrow said at the time.
“Even if it’s not a play that he did anything - he’s talking. And I love that.
Unfortunately, we stunk that year, so I couldn’t really say anything back.”
That’s classic Judon - high motor, high volume. And it’s not just talk.
Before joining Miami, he racked up 34.5 sacks over five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, then added 32 more in three years with the New England Patriots. Just last season, he posted 5.5 sacks with the Atlanta Falcons.
The man knows how to find the quarterback - and how to remind him about it afterward.
Judon also had his share of physical edge, sometimes drawing flags along the way. Bengals fans might remember a 2018 game when he was penalized for roughing then-quarterback Andy Dalton during a Ravens-Bengals clash.
While Judon’s production in Miami didn’t match his past dominance, his presence - and his voice - will be missed on a Dolphins defense that’s still trying to find its rhythm down the stretch.
For Burrow and the Bengals, it’s one less disruptive force to worry about in a game with major playoff implications. And while the quarterback may miss the banter, he probably won’t miss the pressure.