Bengals' Joe Burrow says sideline scowls part of being a leader - ESPN
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow didn't notice, but it seems many who watched Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders did.
During the Cincinnati Bengals' 41-24 win over Las Vegas, Burrow was seen on broadcast cameras scowling and looking generally upset despite the positive performance. The Bengals won their first home game of the season after dropping their first four, and Burrow became the first player this season to throw five or more touchdowns in multiple games.
After the game, Burrow said that unless the team achieves perfection, there wasn't much to be happy about. Two days later, Burrow said he didn't see all the social media chatter about his disposition and said his demeanor could be better at times.
But he noted the nonverbal expressions are part of his growth as a leader.
«Maybe I could have not let my emotions show quite as much, but it's also something that I've tried to do more and I know people in the locker room have wanted me to do a little more, whether good or bad,» Burrow said. «But I can't show my emotion positively and then when things don't go well, not let that be known as well.»
The franchise quarterback who is in the midst of his best season said it was an honest depiction of his feelings in the moment as the Bengals (4-5) continue to try to climb out of an early hole. Cincinnati began the season with three straight losses, their worst start since the Bengals drafted Burrow with the No. 1 pick in 2020.
On Tuesday, two days before the Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) in a prime-time AFC North showdown, Burrow said his comfort level with being more demonstrative this season has been a give-and-take process.
«I know that people feed off of my emotion in a positive way,» Burrow said. «It's tough