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Buckeye Heroes: Joe Burrow and the hero’s journey
Cincinnati1968 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Joe Burrow (10) throws prior to the game against the Southern California Trojans in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons | Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Burrow was once and always will be a Buckeye.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
One of my favorite TV shows is NFL Network’s documentary series “A Football Life.” The show profiles the greatest players, coaches, executives and broadcasters throughout the history of the game, showcasing their life’s journey through the game of football.
When his career is all said and done, and hopefully the series is still running, the episode on Joe Burrow is going to be one of the most unique that the series will have had, because Burrow’s football journey is singularly unique. It’s traveled an unconventional path, and he’s had to overcome a lot of obstacles.
For a player who won the Heisman Trophy, a national championship, was the No. 1 overall pick, has been to a Super Bowl, and is one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in NFL history, one might think it’s been smooth sailing for Burrow. However, it’s been anything but. Despite that, what Burrow has had to overcome makes him a Buckeye hero and a champion of the hero’s journey.
Now, I know that you might be rolling your eyes about Burrow being considered a “Buckeye hero,” but I think it works. Not only did he begin his college career at Ohio State (and earn his degree from the school), but after leaving, he returned to the Buckeye State as a pro.
So, whether you count Joe Cool amongst OSU heroes or not, his journey back to Ohio makes him a Buckeye hero.
I first learned about the hero’s journey concept when I was a sophomore in college in my Sport Communication class. The hero’s journey is essentially a storytelling structure where a hero goes on a quest or adventure to achieve a goal, and has to overcome obstacles and fears, before ultimately returning home transformed.
By football standards, that definition totally fits Joe Burrow.
Think back to when Burrow was with Ohio State. This was a small-town kid from southeast Ohio who became a really good high school quarterback and nearly led his Athens High School Bulldogs to the state championship. A four-star recruit, Burrow committed to Ohio State in May 2014. It seemed fitting that Burrow was staying home to be a Buckeye.
Burrow sat behind J.T. Barrett for two seasons, and he performed well in the 2018 Spring Game. But when it became apparent that the late Dwayne Haskins would be Ohio State’s quarterback in 2018, Burrow took matters into his own hands and transferred to LSU, where his legend was born.
After a steady 2018 season, Burrow took off in 2019. Correction, he didn’t just take off, he rewrote the record books for college quarterbacks. Burrow passed for 60 touchdowns and rushed for five more in his historic 2019 season, throwing for nearly 5,700 yards and completing 76.3% of his passes.
Burrow’s incredible run started when he led the Tigers to a win in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide. It led to a dominant finish in the regular season, a highlight reel play in the SEC Championship, seven first-half touchdowns against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, and five touchdowns in the National Championship Game against Clemson.
Burrow was now the owner of one of the greatest quarterback seasons in college football history. Hesiman Trophy? Check. National Championship? Check. No. 1 overall pick? Check. Coming home to play for his hometown Bengals? Check.
When Burrow left Ohio State (and Ohio), he was in search of getting his college career off the ground. Two years later, he was drafted to start his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. After leaving Ohio, he had found himself and was now ready to come home and transform the Bengals franchise the same way he had transformed himself and his college career.
Burrow has famously said that he played football at LSU and went to school at Ohio State. He never forgets where he came from and his allegiance to the Buckeye State. His Heisman Trophy acceptance speech legendarily raised a ton of money for the Athens County food bank, and the mission of the Joe Burrow Foundation is to help “children with mental illness and those experiencing food insecurity as well as providing resources and support to the underprivileged and underserved in a variety of ways.”
So not only has he been a hero on the field, but he has become one outside of football as well. Oh, and it helps that Burrow has established himself as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Through five seasons, Burrow has already thrown for over 19,000 yards and 140 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 68.6. In the playoffs, Burrow owns a 5-2 record with an AFC Championship in 2021. Other than Tom Brady, Burrow is the only AFC quarterback to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.
In 2024, Burrow led the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and attempts. Coming off a serious wrist injury, Burrow became the first quarterback in NFL history with eight straight games of 250+ passing yards and three+ touchdowns.
In addition, Burrow publicly campaigned for his two best wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, to both receive contract extensions. Of course, the Bengals' front office listened to him, marking a much-needed and long-awaited change for the Bengals organization.
Burrow has never been afraid to speak up and to be vocal about anything that he deems important. When he does, you have to listen. Burrow speaks with eloquence, conviction, calculation, and purpose.
Not only did Burrow embark on a quest at LSU to transform himself, but he came home and took what he learned from his personal transformation to help turn the Bengals into a legitimate contending franchise. In addition, Burrow is transforming lives off the field and in communities that are important to him.
In numerous different ways, Burrow is a hero. He’s a Buckeye at heart, one who found himself and is using his journey to change the lives of others and legitimize the Cincinnati Bengals.
He’s a prime example of the hero’s journey, and Burrow is and always will be a Buckeye hero.
Continue reading...
Cincinnati1968 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Joe Burrow (10) throws prior to the game against the Southern California Trojans in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons | Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Burrow was once and always will be a Buckeye.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
One of my favorite TV shows is NFL Network’s documentary series “A Football Life.” The show profiles the greatest players, coaches, executives and broadcasters throughout the history of the game, showcasing their life’s journey through the game of football.
When his career is all said and done, and hopefully the series is still running, the episode on Joe Burrow is going to be one of the most unique that the series will have had, because Burrow’s football journey is singularly unique. It’s traveled an unconventional path, and he’s had to overcome a lot of obstacles.
For a player who won the Heisman Trophy, a national championship, was the No. 1 overall pick, has been to a Super Bowl, and is one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in NFL history, one might think it’s been smooth sailing for Burrow. However, it’s been anything but. Despite that, what Burrow has had to overcome makes him a Buckeye hero and a champion of the hero’s journey.
Now, I know that you might be rolling your eyes about Burrow being considered a “Buckeye hero,” but I think it works. Not only did he begin his college career at Ohio State (and earn his degree from the school), but after leaving, he returned to the Buckeye State as a pro.
So, whether you count Joe Cool amongst OSU heroes or not, his journey back to Ohio makes him a Buckeye hero.
I first learned about the hero’s journey concept when I was a sophomore in college in my Sport Communication class. The hero’s journey is essentially a storytelling structure where a hero goes on a quest or adventure to achieve a goal, and has to overcome obstacles and fears, before ultimately returning home transformed.
By football standards, that definition totally fits Joe Burrow.
Think back to when Burrow was with Ohio State. This was a small-town kid from southeast Ohio who became a really good high school quarterback and nearly led his Athens High School Bulldogs to the state championship. A four-star recruit, Burrow committed to Ohio State in May 2014. It seemed fitting that Burrow was staying home to be a Buckeye.
Burrow sat behind J.T. Barrett for two seasons, and he performed well in the 2018 Spring Game. But when it became apparent that the late Dwayne Haskins would be Ohio State’s quarterback in 2018, Burrow took matters into his own hands and transferred to LSU, where his legend was born.
After a steady 2018 season, Burrow took off in 2019. Correction, he didn’t just take off, he rewrote the record books for college quarterbacks. Burrow passed for 60 touchdowns and rushed for five more in his historic 2019 season, throwing for nearly 5,700 yards and completing 76.3% of his passes.
Burrow’s incredible run started when he led the Tigers to a win in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide. It led to a dominant finish in the regular season, a highlight reel play in the SEC Championship, seven first-half touchdowns against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, and five touchdowns in the National Championship Game against Clemson.
Burrow was now the owner of one of the greatest quarterback seasons in college football history. Hesiman Trophy? Check. National Championship? Check. No. 1 overall pick? Check. Coming home to play for his hometown Bengals? Check.
When Burrow left Ohio State (and Ohio), he was in search of getting his college career off the ground. Two years later, he was drafted to start his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. After leaving Ohio, he had found himself and was now ready to come home and transform the Bengals franchise the same way he had transformed himself and his college career.
Burrow has famously said that he played football at LSU and went to school at Ohio State. He never forgets where he came from and his allegiance to the Buckeye State. His Heisman Trophy acceptance speech legendarily raised a ton of money for the Athens County food bank, and the mission of the Joe Burrow Foundation is to help “children with mental illness and those experiencing food insecurity as well as providing resources and support to the underprivileged and underserved in a variety of ways.”
So not only has he been a hero on the field, but he has become one outside of football as well. Oh, and it helps that Burrow has established himself as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Through five seasons, Burrow has already thrown for over 19,000 yards and 140 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 68.6. In the playoffs, Burrow owns a 5-2 record with an AFC Championship in 2021. Other than Tom Brady, Burrow is the only AFC quarterback to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.
In 2024, Burrow led the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and attempts. Coming off a serious wrist injury, Burrow became the first quarterback in NFL history with eight straight games of 250+ passing yards and three+ touchdowns.
In addition, Burrow publicly campaigned for his two best wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, to both receive contract extensions. Of course, the Bengals' front office listened to him, marking a much-needed and long-awaited change for the Bengals organization.
Burrow has never been afraid to speak up and to be vocal about anything that he deems important. When he does, you have to listen. Burrow speaks with eloquence, conviction, calculation, and purpose.
Not only did Burrow embark on a quest at LSU to transform himself, but he came home and took what he learned from his personal transformation to help turn the Bengals into a legitimate contending franchise. In addition, Burrow is transforming lives off the field and in communities that are important to him.
In numerous different ways, Burrow is a hero. He’s a Buckeye at heart, one who found himself and is using his journey to change the lives of others and legitimize the Cincinnati Bengals.
He’s a prime example of the hero’s journey, and Burrow is and always will be a Buckeye hero.
Continue reading...