No one expected the Cincinnati Bengals to reach the Super Bowl, and even Joe Burrow himself would have called anyone crazy if they said the 2020 AFC North bottom feeders would make it to the big game before the 2021 season started.

The Bengals QB admitted as much in his postgame presser after they took down the Kansas City Chiefs to seal their ticket to the big game. Burrow knows no one–even themselves–expected the team to go this far, which speaks volumes on the odds they had to defy to be where they are now.

“If you would have told me before the season we’d be going to the Super Bowl, I’d have called you crazy. But nothing surprises me now,” Burrow said, per Jori Epstein of USA Today.

To be fair, Joe Burrow is not lying here. After all, the Bengals finished the 2020 season with one of the worst records in the NFL at 4-11. While they were expected to improve with Joe Burrow back from knee injury, no one could have predicted the season they would have.

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Not to mention that the team lacks playoff experience, with their quarterback just entering his second year in the league. They haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1988, and the last time they won a playoff game was in 1990.

Despite that, however, the Bengals have proven that they are legitimate threats who should be given more respect. Their path to the Super Bowl hasn’t been easy as well, facing the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card round before taking on the AFC leaders Tennessee Titans in the divisional round. Then, they had to face a well-experienced Chiefs team led by Patrick Mahomes.

Certainly, it’s a well-deserved victory worthy of recognition.