Bengals Owner Makes Shocking Admission About Benching Joe Burrow

Following the team’s 0-2 start last season, Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown decided to take matters into his own hands.

Days before the team’s Week 3 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, Brown came down to the practice field, picked up star quarterback Joe Burrow, took him on a ride on his golf cart and dropped him off in a seemingly more perturbed mood than when he was at the start of practice.

The nature of their conversation had to do with Brown informing Burrow that he didn’t want him to play against the Rams.

“I was convinced he shouldn't play, and he looked like he wanted to play in that game, and I went out there to tell him he wasn't going to play,” Brown disclosed to Fox 19. “I was going to make sure he wasn't going to play, where upon he played. That's all that happened.”

“…I still feel a little bit shame-faced about it. I try to stay away enough that I don't get in the way. I don't want to be a problem for the coaches. In that particular moment, I overstepped and did a dumb thing.”

Ultimately, Brown didn’t get his way and Burrow did indeed play. He completed 26 of 49 passes for 259 yards and an interception while leading the Bengals to a 19-16 win.

Cincy lost its next game 27-3 to the Tennessee Titans, but after that Burrow and the team turned things around. They went on a four-game win streak as Burrow completed 75.7% of his passes for 1,133 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Burrow ended the season 5-5 as the Bengals starter before suffering a season-ending wrist injury against the Baltimore Ravens in mid-November.

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