Joe Burrow’s 2025-26 season ended before it ever had a chance to fully develop, but expectations surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback remain high as he steps into his Age-30 campaign.
In ESPN’s 100-day countdown to the regular season on Monday, Burrow earned a spot among the league’s top MVP candidates despite appearing in only eight games last season. While quarterbacks such as Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes headline the list, Burrow’s inclusion serves as a reminder that many around the league still view him as one of football’s premier signal-callers when healthy.
NFL analyst Seth Walder pointed directly to Burrow’s recent body of work when explaining why the Bengals star remains firmly in the MVP conversation.
“Two seasons ago, Burrow played the best ball of his pro career,” Walder wrote. “His 72.1 QBR might have earned him the MVP award had Allen and Jackson not existed.”
That observation highlights an important reality surrounding Burrow’s outlook entering the new season.
His MVP ceiling is no longer theoretical.
Burrow Has Already Shown What an MVP Season Looks Like
Quarterbacks often spend years trying to prove they belong among the league’s elite.
Burrow already crossed that threshold.
In 2024, he led one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses while elevating Cincinnati into the AFC contender conversation.
Unfortunately for Burrow, he happened to produce that season during an era when Allen and Jackson were also putting together historically impressive campaigns.
As Burrow enters his seventh NFL season in 2026, pundits across the league already know he is an MVP-caliber player. The bigger concern centers on availability after injuries once again interrupted his momentum last season.
Walder acknowledged that reality while still expressing confidence in Burrow’s standing among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
“We didn’t get to see a full follow-up in 2025 due to injury,” Walder wrote. “But we did still get eight games of Burrow.”
Even during that abbreviated sample, Burrow continued showing flashes of the player who has consistently helped keep Cincinnati competitive whenever he is healthy and surrounded by a functional supporting cast.
Bengals Still Possess an MVP-Caliber Offensive Foundation
Part of Burrow’s appeal as an MVP candidate stems from the infrastructure around him.
Few quarterbacks enter the season with a receiving duo capable of matching Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Defenses already know the challenge Cincinnati presents through the air, yet slowing the Bengals’ passing attack remains easier said than done.
Walder specifically referenced that advantage when discussing Burrow’s candidacy.
“Still, between his talent and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins running routes, he has to be a threat for the award.”
That combination gives Cincinnati something many teams spend years trying to build.
An elite quarterback paired with elite pass catchers.
MVP races often reward quarterbacks whose teams consistently win while producing explosive offensive numbers. The Bengals possess the ingredients necessary to generate both if Burrow remains healthy throughout the season.
The AFC remains loaded with quarterback talent, meaning Burrow will face stiff competition from players such as Allen, Jackson, Mahomes and others. Cincinnati also must prove it can remain consistent over a full season against one of the NFL’s toughest conference landscapes.
The injury-shortened season did not significantly alter his reputation.
Instead, it simply delayed another opportunity.
The Bengals already know what an MVP-caliber version of their quarterback looks like. The next step is making sure he stays on the field long enough to remind everyone else.
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