Joe Burrow Makes Tom Brady Admission Before 7th NFL Season

Joe Burrow is preparing for his seventh NFL season with expectations once again rising around the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati enters 2026 with what many believe is the most complete roster of the Burrow era after an aggressive offseason that focused heavily on rebuilding the defense.

As training camp approaches, Burrow recently reflected on one of the biggest “what if” matchups of his career — his brief overlap with seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

Speaking with “Sports Seriously,” Burrow admitted he wishes he had more opportunities to face Brady before the NFL legend retired.

“We played one time, but it was in the regular season and it was in Tom’s last year,” Burrow said. “I would’ve loved to play Tom a couple years before that in some meaningful football games. I’m glad I got to beat him once on the field.”

That lone meeting came on Dec. 18, 2022, when the Bengals traveled to Tampa Bay to face Brady and the Buccaneers. Cincinnati trailed 17-3 at halftime before producing one of the most impressive comebacks of Burrow’s career. The Bengals scored 34 unanswered points and defeated Tampa Bay 34-23, extending their winning streak to six games. 

Burrow finished the afternoon 27-of-39 passing for 200 yards and four touchdowns. Brady threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, but Tampa Bay committed four second-half turnovers that completely shifted the game. 

The victory became a key moment in Cincinnati’s season. The Bengals finished 12-4 and advanced to a second consecutive AFC Championship Game, while Brady’s Buccaneers were eliminated in the Wild Card Round during what ultimately became the final season of his career. 

Brady retired following the 2022 season after 23 years in the NFL, while Burrow entered the league in 2020. Their careers overlapped for only three seasons, and scheduling allowed for just one head-to-head matchup.

There was also a realistic path to a postseason meeting during Cincinnati’s Super Bowl run in 2021. The Bengals reached Super Bowl LVI, but Tampa Bay’s season ended in the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams, preventing a potential Brady-Burrow showdown on one of football’s biggest stages.

Brady retired with seven Super Bowl titles, three NFL MVP awards, and virtually every major passing record to his name. Burrow, meanwhile, is still chasing the first championship of his career.

The Bengals will open the 2026 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13 at Paycor Stadium.