Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow earned an absolute bag Thursday, officially agreeing to a five-year, $275 million extension to make him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
While that might not seem to mean much for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they’ve surely expected Burrow would sign an extension to remain with Cincinnati long-term, it does put them in a unique position within the AFC North. Burrow’s deal officially makes Pittsburgh the last team in the AFC North with a quarterback on a rookie deal.
The advantages of having a quarterback on a rookie contract are significant, as quarterbacks have continued to shift the market with record-setting deals since
First was Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who signed a five-year, $230 million (and fully guaranteed) contract after the team acquired him from the Texans in early 2022.