Joe Burrow's Legacy: From College Legend to NFL Star and His Anticipated NCAA Football 25 Rating

Joseph Lee Burrow, an American professional football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, has carved an impressive path from his college days to the NFL. His journey, marked by remarkable achievements and resilience, has solidified his place as a prominent figure in football. With the upcoming release of EA Sports College Football 25, anticipation is building regarding Burrow's inclusion and potential rating in the "Legend" addition.

Early Life and High School Career

Born in Ames, Iowa, on December 10, 1996, Burrow's connection to football began early. He attended the 2002 Rose Bowl at age five, as his father was an assistant coach for the University of Nebraska. The Burrow family later moved to North Dakota in 2003, where his father became the defensive coordinator at North Dakota State University.

Burrow's high school career at Athens High School in The Plains, Ohio, was nothing short of spectacular. From 2011 to 2014, he led the school to three consecutive playoff appearances and the school's first seven playoff victories. He passed for 11,416 yards with 157 passing touchdowns and rushed for 2,067 yards with 27 rushing touchdowns. His senior year culminated in the state's Mr. Football Award and Gatorade Player of the Year award.

College Career: From Ohio State to LSU Legend

Ohio State Buckeyes (2015-2017)

Burrow enrolled at Ohio State in 2015, redshirting his first year. He spent the next two years as a backup. During Ohio State's spring game in 2018, Burrow completed 15 of 22 pass attempts for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Following the game, Burrow stated, "I didn't come here to sit on the bench for four years. I know I'm a pretty good quarterback."

LSU Tigers (2018-2019)

In 2018, Burrow transferred to Louisiana State University (LSU) and was named the starting quarterback. That season, he threw for 2,894 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions, leading the Tigers to a 10-3 record, including a win over UCF in the Fiesta Bowl.

Read also: NCAA Football 25: Joe Burrow Guide

His redshirt senior season in 2019 was legendary. Burrow set numerous NCAA FBS passing records and led the Tigers to a 15-0 record and national championship. He won the Heisman Trophy by the largest margin in history. Key moments included a 471-yard, four-touchdown performance against Texas, a victory over Alabama where he completed 31-of-39 attempts for three touchdowns, and a dominant performance in the National Championship game against Clemson, throwing for 463 yards and five touchdowns.

NFL Career: Cincinnati Bengals

Draft and Rookie Season (2020)

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Burrow as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was the only rookie quarterback from his draft class to start on opening week. Burrow finished his rookie outing with 264 completions against 404 attempts for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Overcoming Injury and Leading the Bengals (2021-Present)

Burrow's career faced an early setback with a season-ending knee injury midway through his rookie campaign. However, he returned in 2021 to lead the NFL in completion percentage and yards per attempt. He spearheaded the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990 and an appearance in Super Bowl LVI, earning Comeback Player of the Year honors.

In 2023, Burrow signed a record-breaking contract and led the Bengals to consecutive division titles. Despite missing the playoffs in 2024, he led the league in passing yards and touchdowns, securing his second Comeback Player of the Year Award. In his fifth pro season in 2024, Burrow put together one of the best statistical seasons by a QB in NFL history and re-wrote the Bengals' single-season record book. He both led the league and set Cincinnati's all-time marks in passing attempts (652), completions (460), passing yards (4918) and TD passes (43). He also posted the highest single-season passer rating in team history (108.5; third in NFL) and highest completion percentage (70.552; fourth in NFL).

In Week 16 of the 2025 season, Burrow completed 25 of 32 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-21 win over the Miami Dolphins, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Burrow played in eight games in the 2025 season.

Read also: Burrow's path to the NFL

Joe Burrow's Madden NFL Ratings

On Madden NFL 26, Joe Burrow has an Overall Rating of 96 with Field General Archetype. Among his General Ratings, the most notable attribute is his Awareness, with a rating of 98. Here are his Madden 26 Attributes:

Speed: 84
Acceleration: 86
Strength: 68
Agility: 83
Awareness: 98
Jumping: 74
Injury: 92
Stamina: 97
Toughness: 97
Throw Power: 88
Throw Under Pressure: 96
Throw Accuracy Short: 99
Throw Accuracy Mid: 97
Throw Accuracy Deep: 97
Throw on the Run: 91
Play Action: 86
Catching: 40

He also possesses key abilities:

Run & Gun: Perfect accuracy while throwing on the run when in the zone.
Sideline Deadeye: Perfect accuracy on throws outside the numbers.
Fearless: Immune to throw penalties caused by defensive pressure while feet are set.
Set Feet Lead: Increased throw power on bullet precision passes made while feet are set.

Anticipated NCAA Football 25 Rating

With EA Sports College Football 25 set to include a "Legend" addition, speculation is rife about Joe Burrow's rating. Given his historic 2019 season, where he led LSU to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy, Burrow is expected to be among the highest-rated players in the game. His college career stats further support this expectation.

Leadership, Football IQ, and Personal Traits

Burrow is known for his exceptional football IQ and leadership qualities. He actively participated in game plan meetings at LSU, contributing ideas and adjusting receiver routes based on defensive formations. Coaches and teammates alike have praised his ability to process defenses quickly and his "cool" demeanor on and off the field. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes lauded Burrow as "a great leader" with "that special knack where he can lead anybody."

Career Stats and Achievements

Burrow's career is marked by numerous records and achievements, including:

Highest completion percentage in NFL history (68.6%; minimum 1500 passing attempts).
Team postseason career records with the Cincinnati Bengals.
2019 Heisman Trophy winner.
2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Two-time Pro Bowl selection (2022 and 2024 seasons).
2022 FedEx Air Player of the Year.
Two-time AP Comeback Player of the Year (2021 and 2024).

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