Burrow Pledges 'Long Haul' With Bengals — SkimNews
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- Joe Burrow told Bengals.com 'I'm here for the long haul. I'm not going anywhere,' affirming his commitment five days before the Bengals' opener against Tampa Bay.
- Burrow framed 2026 as a 'now or never' season, saying he is trying to 'speak it into existence' and instill urgency after Cincinnati went 6-11 in 2025 and missed the playoffs for a third straight year.
- Burrow conceded his efficient wording 'leaves some room for interpretation,' acknowledging the speculation that intensified after he returned from a turf toe injury in late 2025.
- The Bengals overhauled their defense this offseason, signing defensive end Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook in free agency and trading for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II.
- Eighth-year coach Zac Taylor said Monday he feels 'energized' and believes the team has 'a good plan in place' heading into the opener.
- The Bengals last reached the Super Bowl after the 2021 season — a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams — and returned to the AFC Championship the following year before falling to Kansas City.
Why it matters: The Bengals just absorbed a 6-11 season, a third straight playoff miss, and a defensive teardown headlined by the Dexter Lawrence II trade, so Burrow's public pledge anchors a 'win-now' season to a roster in transition and locks his prime years to a franchise still chasing its first playoff win since January 2022.
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