What's Really Going On In Cincinnati?
- Nick Janning
- Dec 16, 2025
- 4 min read
The Bengals suck... Again. There seems to be a trend developing in Cincinnati where they claim to have the best quarterback in the league, yet for the third year in a row, they have missed they playoffs. Joe Burrow has stayed healthy for 3 out of 6 seasons with the Bengals. In seasons he has stayed healthy, he finished inside the top 5 for MVP voting every year while winning Comeback Player of the Year twice. And yet, Cincinnati is getting further and further away from a Super Bowl. So, what's really going on in Cincinnati?
The Bengals have officially been eliminated from the playoffs for the third season in a row after getting shutout by the Baltimore Ravens. When asked about his play, Joe Burrow said, "There's not a team in the NFL that would have won today if I was their quarterback."
True.
This makes the second most interesting quote Joe Burrow has had within the last week. Joe hinted towards not having a good time in a presser saying, "If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing this. I have been through a lot. If it's not fun, then what am I doing it for?"
Before we run to the message boards and claim we've found ourselves the next Andrew Luck, let's look at what's actually going on. Joe went 25/39 with 225 yards and 2 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Look that does suck, but worse performances have resulted in wins. Hell, better performances have commanded the same result. Last year Joe went 30/39 with 392 yards and 5 touchdowns against the same team and lost. And you sit there behind your screen and question, "how could he not be having fun".
Now it all makes sense. What we're seeing isn't the product of a incapable quarterback with mental health issues (He may or may not be going through something personal. I don't want to down play that if he is). What we're seeing is a human have a human reaction. What we're seeing is someone who is generationally talented put up Super Bowl worthy stats and finish sub .500 while missing the playoffs for the third year in a row. What do you want him to say?
I want to bring your attention to a quarterback with a very similar career. A guy who goes by the name, Dan Marino. That's 8-time All-Pro, 9-time Pro Bowl, 1-time MVP, NFL Top 100, and Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Marino. What concerns me about Joe Burrow is the same thing that concerned people about Dan Marino. Two highly talented quarterbacks with plenty of stats and awards but no rings to show for. Both came into the league and lost the Super Bowl in their second year. After 17 season, that would be Dan's best result. After 6 seasons, Joe is in the same boat. Dan Marino notably struggled with a lack of support from his team (pour defenses) and injuries (6 knee surgeries and a ruptured achilles). Joe is in the same boat.
Dan Marino after losing Super Bowl XIX
Joe Burrow after losing Super Bowl LVI per USA Today
Look, I don't want to be a total downer here, but something needs to change in Cincinnati. If the saying "history repeats itself" holds any merit, then we can expect Joe Burrow to probably have a very similar career to Dan Marino. In that case, there needs to be serious changes.
If we can't point the fingers at the quarterback, then who do we blame? Well, if I was writing a blog on the topic, i'd point the fingers at the same people everyone has been pointing at. The front office. A tale as old as time. It's become fashion to say the Bengals have the worst front office in the NFL. But what does that mean?
The Pat McAfee Show on The Bengals Ownership
The Bengals have the 8th most Cap Space in the NFL with $70,575,658 to spend. They're also dead last in points allowed per game. We must ask, why are they not spending money to improve their defense? If only they had the league leader in sacks who really wants to play for their team? Last year, the Bengals had the league leader in sacks enter free agency saying he wants to play for their team. Last year, the Bengals refused to pay him. If only they had the money...
Oh. wait...
Oh. my. god...
Oh. No...
We're stupid.
It's the only explanation to all of this that I could come up with. Incompetence is the only thing that can explain why we are historically bad with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in his 6th year. We're stupid. We've missed on a ton of draft picks. Shemar Stewart (1RD 2025), Miles Murphy (1RD 2023), Cam Taylor Britt (2RD 2022), Jackson Carmen (2RD 2021), Zachary Carter (3RD 2022), and the goat Jermain Burton (3RD 2024) all either released or riding the bench.
Honestly, stupidity is the best explanation I can come up with for the Cincinnati Bengals. We have a front office that has missed so many lay-ups that it's become clear that we don't know how to make them.
How do they not know? How do they not know they had to clear off snow for their fans? Why is there even a rule? Shouldn't the human aspect of Mike Brown kick in when he saw it snowed for 12 hours in Cincinnati the day before? Shouldn't you put two and two together that your fans, who are the only source of your revenue, will be paying to sit in and watch your football team? No way of knowing when you have ~incompetence~.
I hate to call it like this. But I can't look the other way. I love no organization in the National Football League more than this one. It hurts to admit, but we are an incompetent organization with extremely high potential wasted on extremely bad decisions.
And that's showbiz baby.
Cedit Perry Knotts Getty Images
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