Joe Burrow says he'd play for Bengals if picked No. 1
INDIANAPOLIS -- Joe Burrow stifled any speculation about avoiding the potential next stop in his career.
The former LSU quarterback said he will play for the Cincinnati Bengals if the franchise takes him with the top overall pick in April's NFL draft.
"I'm not going to not play," Burrow told a throng of reporters at the NFL combine on Tuesday morning inside the Indiana Convention Center. "I'm a ballplayer. Whoever takes me, I'm going to go show up."
During a media session that lasted for nearly 20 minutes, Burrow confirmed his intention to play for the Bengals, if picked by Cincinnati, despite growing speculation that he might avoid the team, which is without a playoff victory since 1991.
Most of the hubbub stemmed from Burrow's lack of affirmative comments about playing in Cincinnati during the buildup to this week's combine. The Heisman winner said the hesitancy was because he didn't want to be presumptuous about what the Bengals were doing with the top pick.
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"That's why I've been noncommittal, because I don't know what's going to happen," Burrow said. "They might not pick me. They might fall in love with someone else.
"You guys kind of took that narrative and ran with it, but there's never been anything like that from my end."
On Feb. 17, Burrow referenced having "leverage" during a trip to Texas to accept the Davey O'Brien Award, which further fueled the conversation about potentially trying to force his way into another destination. Burrow said that comment was a reference to the combine process. He will not throw or work out in Indianapolis this week after a 15-game season at LSU that culminated in a national championship.
Even though he didn't hear Burrow's comments Tuesday morning, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he was aware of what was said and wasn't concerned about any of the banter.
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