Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is perfectly fine with taunting, trash talking, and other harmless acts on the football field. He also knows what’s best for him.
Burrow explained during his appearance on the New Heights live show with Jason and Travis Kelce that he deliberately avoids instigating with the players who are tasked with hitting him as hard as they can.
“I’m pretty nice to the defensive line,” Burrow said. “So people aren’t really talking to me like that because I’ll just be like, ‘Nice play, man.’ Because I’m not trying to get hit like that.” Burrow may not realize it, but he’s copying the tactics of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.
During his prime, Luck was among the top quarterbacks in the league. His exceptional arm talent, movement, strength, and processing speed propelled him to the pinnacle of the game just prior to his unanticipated early retirement.
His most underappreciated skill was complimenting opposing pass rushers instead of using derogatory language to get under their skin.
After applying pressure and sacks, Luck would deliver words of affirmation that would surprise his opponents and make them perform a quick mental calculation.
“I have never heard anything like it in all the years I have played football.” In 2014, retired NFL linebacker Ryan Kerrigan claimed, “Nothing even close.” “You want to say thank you, but then you say ‘Wait a second—I’m not supposed to like you!'”
One of Luck’s most distinctive qualities was his reverse psychology, and whether Burrow realizes it or not, he’s acting in a very similar way.
Burrow never shies away from a victory celebration. The moments with the cigars tell the story. But in his brief career, he has had numerous setbacks and firings.
