Pack your bags. That was the message wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase got from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow the morning of the 2021 NFL draft.
During the 2019 season at LSU, Burrow and Chase formed one of college football's most potent combinations. When Chase got the text from Burrow on draft day, it indicated a reunion in Cincinnati might be his future. «I don't know if that was a hint or not, but when I saw that text I said, 'OK, I'm ready,'» Chase said after the Bengals selected him with the fifth overall pick.
The move paid off handsomely for Cincinnati. Chase had a record-setting year with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Chase was named the NFL's top offensive rookie. The connection between Burrow and Chase helped push the Bengals to the brink of winning the franchise's first Super Bowl last season.