Joe Burrow is coming off the best season of his career, but it didn’t translate to team success, as the Cincinnati Bengals finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Since drafting Burrow, the Bengals have only reached the postseason twice in five seasons, and now they find themselves in a tough financial situation. While Burrow remains optimistic about retaining key players, NFL fans on social media are far more skeptical.
Fans React to Joe Burrow’s Comments
Tee Higgins is set to hit free agency, while Ja’Marr Chase is expected to sign a major extension this offseason.
With both star receivers likely to command top-tier contracts, the general consensus is that Cincinnati won’t be able to afford both. However, Burrow has consistently expressed confidence that the team will find a way to retain both Chase and Higgins. His recent comments reaffirming this belief sparked plenty of reactions online, with many fans mocking his optimism.
Here’s how fans responded:
- “You’re going to be disappointed,” one fan remarked.
- “Burrow is living in fantasy land if he thinks Cincinnati’s owner has that kind of money,” another added.
- “I hate when a player takes up a quarter of the cap and then tells the team to ‘make it work,’” a fan said, taking a jab at Burrow’s hefty contract.
- “If Cincinnati signs Chase, Higgins, and Hendrickson, they’ll be back in the Pro Bowl games next year. You can’t let four guys hold the team hostage,” another wrote.
Higgins played on the franchise tag last season, posting 73 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. As one of the top free-agent wide receivers available, he’s expected to attract significant interest, with reports suggesting he could land a deal worth over $30 million per year.
The New England Patriots, for instance, could offer Higgins a massive contract, where he would be their undisputed No. 1 receiver. Meanwhile, the Bengals must decide whether to prioritize keeping Higgins or addressing their struggling defense, which ranks among the league’s worst.
With Burrow earning an average of $55 million annually and Chase expected to sign a contract approaching $40 million per year, the Bengals’ salary cap situation in 2025—projected between $265 million and $275 million—makes it difficult to justify allocating so much money to just three offensive players.
As a result, Burrow’s hope of keeping both Chase and Higgins may be unrealistic. But in the NFL, anything can happen.
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