After a disappointing 0-3 start to the season, the Cincinnati Bengals finally got their first win of the season on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Carolina Panthers by the final score of 34-24. In the win, Joe Burrow threw for 232 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but his two highlight reel plays of the game came on wild scrambles away from pressure, including this one:

After the game, Burrow was asked about a couple of the plays he made with his feet, and he joked “you might call me sneaky athletic,” (h/t Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated). Of course, sports fans know that often times “sneaky athletic” is code for “white and athletic.” It's a term usually reserved for white quarterbacks who can move, or white basketball players who could jump.

One of Burrow's greatest strengths, beyond an incredibly accurate right arm and genius-level feel for the game, is how nifty he is navigating the pocket and how adept he is at running the football. The Bengals have used well-timed designed quarterback runs in crucial spots over the last few years, capitalizing on Burrow's unheralded legs. While at LSU, Burrow rushed for 368 yards and 5 touchdowns during his Heisman Trophy campaign. Since arriving in the NFL, he's scored ten touchdowns on the ground.

Related Cincinnati Bengals NewsArticle continues below
Two mystery players in the middle, Joe Burrow and coach Zac Taylor around them, Cincinnati Bengals wallpaper in the background
Cincinnati Bengals 2 best trade targets to round out 2025 roster
Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates against the Kansas City Chiefs after a play during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
NFL rumors: What Albert Breer thinks about a Lions-Bengals Trey Hendrickson trade
Cincinnati Bengals players warm-up during practice.
Bengals’ 2025 travel schedule gives Cincinnati key rest advantage

What's funny is, Burrow was actually one of the highest-rated dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2015 recruiting class, having scored 27 rushing touchdowns during his high school career. So yeah, “sneaky athletic” sounds about right.

On the flip side, the worry with Burrow has long been related to his health. Burrow has suffered an ACL/MCL tear during his rookie season and a troubling calf strain during training camp last year. Even this season, a wrist injury that ended Burrow's 2023 season after ten games has lingered into 2024. Against the Panthers, Burrow was seen limping early on after a big hit, but the 27-year-old says the concerns about how gimpy he looked early on shouldn't keep Bengals fans up at night.

“I got stepped on. That didn't feel great,” Burrow said after the game, according to Morrison. But nothing crazy. We'll see what it looks like tomorrow. Might be a little bruised, but nothing crazy.”

For the next 48 hours, Bengals fans will be holding their breath, hoping that Joe Burrow will be 100 percent next Sunday when the Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens.