In a sign of the times, Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s major football preview issue.
Buy Bengals TicketsIt’s just Burrow on the cover, but it’s another confirmation the Bengals have taken the proverbial next step as a national commodity thanks to him and the franchise’s efforts to modernize in the Zac Taylor era.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer compared the cover to the infamous Tom Brady cover from 2002 while chatting with Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“Even though Tom Brady had won a Super Bowl, that story was more about promise than production. What this kid could be. Joe being on the cover lines up with that. Not just what Joe has been over his first two years, fighting back from the injury and getting to the Super Bowl and everything else. It’s also what he could be. That’s one thing the cover has always done. It sort of announces guys.”
The story — chronicling Burrow and his teammates — is available to read now and hits newsstands on Thursday.
Joe Burrow and the New Normal
The fame, the expectations and why the NFL’s newest superstar QB is uniquely equipped to handle it all: https://t.co/1MhXG92jLl pic.twitter.com/ZTxp4raRzj
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 17, 2022
