Joe Burrow closing in on legend status –– on and off the field
Joe Burrow is cool. Like, really cool.
The Cincinnati Bengals are headed to Super Bowl LVI after upsetting the second-seeded Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in an overtime thriller in the AFC Championship Game.
With the win, Burrow becomes the first No. 1 overall pick in NFL history to go to the Super Bowl in his first two years.
What's more, the Bengals, who were 4-11-1 in 2020, are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than three decades as the second-biggest longshots in league history since 1977.
But back to Burrow.
The 25-year-old is one win away from doing something no QB has done before: win the Heisman Trophy, win a College Football Playoff National Championship and win a Super Bowl. Running backs Tony Dorsett and Marcus Allen and defensive back Charles Woodson are the only three NFL players to accomplish such a feat.
Furthermore, only two quarterbacks — Hall of Famers Joe Namath and Joe Montana — have claimed both a college football national title and a Super Bowl win, but neither won the Heisman.
How cool is that?
But maybe the coolest part of this whole thing is the love Burrow is getting in the media.
In fact, you can now call him "Joe Cool" or "Joe Shiesty."
Take your pick.
After Sunday's win, one reporter decided to question Burrow about the legitimacy of his jewelry.
Burrow didn't shy away.
As you can tell by the ice, Joey Brrr is another nickname.
On "The Herd," Colin Cowherd shared his biggest takeaways from the AFC Championship and Burrow's performance –– on and off the field.
"He feels so old-school," he said. "The cigars and the glasses and the coat make him feel like Joe Namath. The cocky edge makes him feel like Jim McMahon. The ‘it’ factor makes him feel like [Tom] Brady. And even just statistically in the playoffs, it reads like Joe Montana. In his three playoff games, his passer rating is 96.
" … He's got a feel for the game, an old-school look and an old-school podium personality."
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For a long time, Cowherd has said that Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs would find their biggest challenge in Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, but now he thinks it might be Burrow and the rebuilding Cincinnati Bengals.
Long live, Joey B (another nickname).