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Joe Burrow‘s standing among the NFL‘s elite quarterbacks has become a fresh talking point ahead of the 2026 season.
ESPN recently surveyed league executives, coaches, and scouts, ranking Burrow as the fourth-best quarterback behind Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Matthew Stafford. Lamar Jackson rounded out the top five.
Not everyone agrees with that evaluation.
Speaking on ESPN’s “First Take,” former NFL player Chris Canty questioned whether Burrow still belongs in the league’s top five.
“No,” Canty said. “I don’t understand why we still have this consensus around Joe Burrow being a top five quarterback.”
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Canty’s biggest concern centered on Burrow’s durability.
“First of all, the best ability is availability,” he said. “In two of the last three years, Joe Burrow has missed two months of the season.”
Canty argued those absences have played a major role in Cincinnati’s recent struggles.
He added, “It just so happens to coincide with the Cincinnati Bengals being on the outside looking into the postseason in three straight years. I’m tired of all of the Joe Burrow sycophants and all of the people that are in the excuse-making business for this dude.”
Since Burrow entered the league in 2020, Cincinnati has reached the playoffs only twice. The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season and the AFC Championship Game in 2022.
They have since missed the postseason in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Burrow missed 9 games last season after suffering a Grade 3 turf toe injury on his left foot.
Can Joe Burrow silence the criticism?
Canty also questioned Burrow’s influence over Cincinnati’s roster construction.
“He has this team the exact way he wants it,” Canty said. “He’s the one that was caping for his two wide receivers to get top dollar, even though we all said that it was ridiculous when it comes to roster construction. Well, guess what? Joe Burrow has exactly what he wants, and guess what? It’s amounted to zero playoff wins for the Cincinnati Bengals over the last four years.”
The criticism is harsh, but availability has become part of Burrow’s NFL story. Elite production means less if injuries repeatedly interrupt seasons.
“This dude is going into year seven,” Canty said. “We’re talking about him only being in the postseason twice.
I don’t understand how we’re giving Joe Burrow all of these kudos, all of these accolades, all of this praise for once upon a time making a Super Bowl that they just so happened to lose.
He then made his point by saying, “Joe Burrow is not a top five quarterback in our league.”
Still, Burrow remains one of football’s most efficient passers when healthy. He earned a 91.3 Pro Football Focus passing grade in 2025 despite playing only eight games.
The Bengals also addressed major weaknesses this offseason. They added Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, and Bryan Cook to strengthen a defense that ranked 30th in points allowed.
Burrow has welcomed those moves and recently said this is “the most talented roster” since he entered the league.
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The debate now shifts from rankings to results. If Burrow stays healthy and Cincinnati returns to the playoffs, questions about his place among the NFL’s elite should fade quickly.
