Is Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow already better than Tom Brady when he was 25 years old? According to former NFL star Marcellus Wiley who got to play against Brady in his early years, that is the case.
Wiley, who is currently part of FOX Sports “Speak For Yourself” show, shared his thoughts on the matter on Friday and even highlighted how the Bengals rising star can actually “edge out” the former new England and Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar.
“I’ma say it because I played against Tom Brady in his early years. In his first two seasons, Joe Burrow is better than Tom Brady was at that same stage,” Wiley said. “Look, they may at the same stage have the same amount of rings. At the same time, Tom Brady had that one year to sit, watch, and then get his opportunity. Joe Burrow hit the ground running, even though [he got] injured that same year.”
The one-time Pro Bowler also emphasized how people are wrongly comparing the second-year Joe Burrow to the full-version Tom Brady, which is why he used their first two years in the NFL as a starting point and basis for his comments. With that said, based on the current trajectory of the Bengals QB and what he has done in his young career, Wiley went as much as to saying that Burrow could end up having a better career.
“Not only is it a good comparison, it looks like Burrow can edge him [Brady] out,” Wiley furthered.
For what it's worth, when Brady was asked about the comparisons he is getting with Burrow, he also highlighted his belief that the Bengals signal-caller is better than him in some ways. For one, the 44-year-old shared how impressed he is of the tools Burrow has and how he has come into the league and thrived.
“I think Joe’s got some tools that I didn’t quite have when I was his age, so super impressed by how he’s kind of come into the league and went to Cincinnati, which has been a tough place to play over the years. And, you know, two years into his career, after a really tough injury last year, showed a lot of mental and physical toughness coming back and having an incredible season,” Brady explained in his recent Let's Go Podcast.
Should Burrow win Super Bowl 56 with the Bengals, the comparisons with Brady will only grow. After all, that means they will both have a title in their second year in the league.
After Brady made his official announcement to retire from the NFL after 22 seasons, it is only natural for people to look for his successor who will be the face of the NFL for years to come. Burrow certainly came at the right time after he led the Bengals to an unexpected Super Bowl run–overcoming the likes of the Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs just to reach the big stage.
Now, the pressure is on him to deliver and live up to expectations that he never really asked. All eyes will be on him as he faces off against a veteran in Matthew Stafford, who is also looking to prove himself as one of the elites after experiencing lack of success in his early years in the NFL.
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