Being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft comes with plenty of expectations and burdens. But Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is not entering his first training camp with the weight of a franchise on his shoulders.
The Bengals will be hoping Burrow can give them steady play under center and help the team win in 2020. But they also know he is going to make mistakes.
Bengals quarterback coach Dan Pitcher said working with Burrow has offered some insight into his football mind, and added he does not expect many mental hurdles for Burrow in his rookie season (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic):
“It’s a unique case study,” Pitcher said. “Something to this extent hasn’t happened before. The failing — there’s value in that. There’s value in testing the physical limits. Seeing, OK, I’m going to fit this throw in there, not the best idea. Or maybe I can fit this throw in there. We are very fortunate working with Joe and his skill set, I don’t anticipate there being a lot of mental failing when it comes to Joe. He works extremely hard — don’t get me wrong, he’s a rookie but he’s going to make mistakes as any rookie in that are — but getting to work with him as much as we have between Zac and Cally and myself, I feel really good where we are at as far as that goes.”
The Bengals made Burrow the No. 1 overall pick in part due to his football IQ and sense of timing, both in the pocket as well as his receivers' breaks.
Still, Cincinnati's fan base has likely not had this much anticipation tied to a quarterback prospect since another No. 1 pick, former Bengals signal-caller Carson Palmer.
Burrow was nicknamed “Joe Cool” for a reason. He has loads of confidence and poise in his abilities.
The Bengals believe Burrow is ready for the challenge of leading an NFL locker room, though he will be in uncharted waters if he cannot help the team win.
Follow Us
Subscribe