Joe Burrow shared concerning comments due to brutal Bengals reality

The Cincinnati Bengals have had a rough 2025 season. From Trey Hendrickson playing just seven games all year after signing a $29 million deal, to Joe Burrow's Week 2 injury, things have gone very poorly for the Bengals this season.

Burrow is back, and while there was some hope with his return, their Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills was all but season-ending for the Bengals. In the week after this loss, Burrow was very melancholic, sharing concerning comments about his thoughts on his NFL status.

In a report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, there were two noteworthy comments from people close to Burrow. Those two people shared the brutal reality Burrow is facing, and also why the Bengals franchise QB made the comments he did during this week.

How Joe Burrow faces brutal reality with Bengals

"When was the last time Joe made two mistakes to lose a game for any team he's been on?" Someone close to Burrow said, "he knows he has to be perfect for this team to win, and he wasn't perfect."

The first part of this quote is noteworthy in the sense that it highlights how great Burrow has been over the last few years as a starting quarterback.

But the second part is much more important. Burrow needing to be perfect is a great encapsulation of where the Bengals stand as a franchise right now.

While the Bengals got the hardest position to get right, right, it hasn't mattered with the struggles of the rest of the roster.

Burrow is an incredible quarterback, but as this person close to him said, Burrow needs to be perfect for the Bengals to win in recent seasons.

More: Bills-Bengals ending, explained: How Josh Allen outlasted Joe Burrow in snowy Game of the Year candidate

Another person close to Burrow revealed why he made the comments he did this past week: "Everyone is being a little dramatic. This isn't mental health, this isn't depression, this is I want to win."

The Bengals have Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow. There aren't many WR-QB duos better than this in the NFL, and yet, if they're not perfect, it's hard for the Bengals to win in any week.

Against the Bills, Burrow made two mistakes, uncharacteristically back-to-back, and it cost the team the game. He's being hard on himself, but in turn, it's highlighted just how brutal the situation in Cincinnati is.

Burrow doesn't want a trade, nor is he considering retirement. But change needs to come for the Bengals, as they cannot continue to rely on Burrow to be perfect to win games.

More Bengals News:

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• Bengals suspend 2024 third-round WR for Week 14 matchup vs. Bills
• Bengals predicted to find Trey Hendrickson replacement in 2026
• Bengals' Chase Brown believes average fan can gain one yard in an NFL game
• Trey Hendrickson has likely played his last game with Cincinnati Bengals
• Bengals release 2024 third-round draft pick bust after suspension