Joe Burrow details newfound source of confidence as Cincinnati Bengals prepare for Super Bowl

Joe Burrow should already have an abundance of confidence from his unbelievable LSU resume. He won a Heisman Trophy and a national championship just two years ago. However, this past season has done even more for him after his knee injury in 2020 set him back.

Burrow went on Tom Brady’s Let’s Go podcast this week after taking down Kansas City to discuss how he punched his ticket to Super Bowl 56.

“My confidence in myself hasn’t really changed but the confidence in my body to do the things I physically need it to do to win games has gone up,” Burrow said. “I wasn’t making as many plays with my legs as I wanted to. I had to rethink the way I was playing early in the year, trying to play more in the pocket.

“After the bye week, I gained more confidence in my knee. I started making some of those plays in the pocket. Making people miss the way I had before the injury. I was kind of able to do those things I wanted to do from there on out.”

Burrow flashed that confidence on Sunday in a major way. He took off running on several second-half plays, amassing 25 rushing yards on the game. His two rushing touchdowns this season also came in the back half of the year once he regained his confidence.

Burrow on handling rise in popularity

It’s no secret that Joe Burrow has some swagger. The standout quarterback had it while he was leading LSU to an undefeated and national championship season, and the former No. 1 overall pick still has it – and even more now – as he’s quarterbacking the Cincinnati Bengals into the Super Bowl.

Throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s AFC championship game win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Burrow – in just his second NFL season – has led the Bengals to the Super Bowl. They’ll face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Feb. 13.

Reporters asked Burrow after Sunday’s win how his life has changed from a social perspective due to all the success he’s had this season. He named dropped a celebrity while answering the question.

“The situation that I’m in socially doesn’t really feel real to me ’cause in my head I’m just the same ole guy,” Burrow said. “One of my idols growing up, Kid Cudi, reached out to me yesterday. You’ve got LeBron [James] tweeting at me or whatever you said it was. … That part is surreal. The football part, not so much. That stuff is crazy.”

Following Burrow’s answer, the reporter followed up with a second question asking the quarterback what his favorite Kid Cudi tracks were.

“So, I listen to “New York City Rage Fest” every game day, right before I go out,” Burrow said. “Man on the Moon” … I mean, I like all of his stuff. I like all of his stuff.”

On3’s Tyler Mansfield contributed to this report.