Joe Burrow Names Four NFL Stars He Idolized Growing Up – Sports Illustrated

In this story:
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has become one of the NFL's most recognizable players by playing a controlled, efficient style of football. His game has always been built around accuracy, timing, and processing ability while operating inside the pocket.
But like most players, Burrow's earliest football memories were shaped by the stars who made the sport feel larger than life.
Before he became the face of the Bengals and one of the faces of the NFL, he was a young fan, like many, watching some of the most exciting players of his generation. Burrow, born in 1996, recently looked back on the players he admired growing up in Athens, Ohio.
"I really liked Mike Vick — I liked Randy (Moss) — those were the two jerseys I had when I was little," Burrow said in an interview with GQ Magazine. "I really liked Reggie Bush. Really liked Drew Brees. Those are the four. Those are my four favorites.”
For anyone who grew up during that era of football, it's a fitting list. Vick was one of the most electric quarterbacks the sport has ever seen, with a rare combination of elite arm talent and running ability that redefined how people viewed the quarterback position. Moss was a dominant vertical threat who could take over games with his size, speed, and ball skills.
As for Bush, he was one of the most exciting college football players of all time before he became a dynamic weapon in the NFL, while Brees became one of the league's most productive and accurate passers during his tenure with the New Orleans Saints.
Burrow would be most clearly connected to Brees' style, since both quarterbacks are known for their accuracy and ability to dissect defenses without relying on scrambling when the pocket collapses. Burrow has made his own mark on the Bengals' offense with that same type of command as Brees.
Burrow is bullish on the Bengals this season and believes the offense is in a great spot.
“We have all the starters back, so that’s a great feeling," Burrow said last week. "We don’t have any young guys, any new guys coming in that you really need to count on. The guys that are young and come in and produce and perform is kind of like icing on the cake for us at this point. It’ll certainly be hard for those guys to find a role this year considering how deep we are, but I’m excited to see who will and who will help us."
Watch Burrow's entire sit down with GQ below:
Loading recommendations… Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations
Arye Pulli is an NFL-credentialed journalist and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Since 2020, he has provided on-site coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine, the Senior Bowl, and Super Bowl Media Week. He currently serves as a contributing writer for USA Today’s SaintsWire and Bengals on SI, while also acting as the Philadelphia Eagles Content Curator for Sleeper. He is the co-founder of The Sports Place, a digital media brand that has grown to nearly 200,000 followers.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

source