Over a majority of their history and certainly for the better part of the past thirty years, the Cincinnati Bengals have mastered the art of mediocrity. After all, this is a team that went on a twenty-one-year drought without a playoff victory from 1991 to 2022. During that span, the team rarely made international or even national news aside from a series of arrests and blunders that were so comical that they went viral. It certainly wasn’t a fun period to be a fan of the organization and things needed to change.
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow Models on Runway Line in Paris
After the long drought, Cincinnati appears like a consistent contender for Super Bowls and with that, a consistent interest from media coverage. One instance that has drawn the eye of international media is the international tour by elite quarterback Joe Burrow. During a vacation in Europe with former Offensive Player of the Year and collegiate teammate Justin Jefferson, Burrow decided to try out a new talent on a grand stage.
On Sunday afternoon, Burrow decided that he wanted to get a taste of the fashion industry and in typical Burrow fashion, he wasn’t interested in getting a small dose. Instead, Burrow went headfirst and walked the runway in a black blazer during a modeling event in Paris.
NEW: #Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had made his modeling debut in Paris at Vogue today
pic.twitter.com/DmxhkN7o9Q— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 23, 2024
“I’ve always loved clothes but never really understood the industry, so I wanted to learn more,” Burrow told reporter Leah Faye Cooper of Vouge. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and grow as a person, [and] I think walking in the show is a great way to do that. I think the crossover between fashion and sport is going to continue to grow.”
While it may seem like an interesting hobby for Burrow to pick up, it can be seen as an alarming foray into the spotlight that this team shouldn’t welcome. While success on the field will naturally bring opportunity and media attention, every single event such as a fashion photoshoot is another distraction that takes the attention of the team away from football. Given Burrow’s excellent track record as a leader, that likely won’t be a problem but it certainly noteworthy on a team that suffered serious struggles after Burrow sustained his second season-ending injury in four seasons.
After you cope with the fact that a distraction will negatively impact the team in the short term, the situation is actually fairly comical. Several fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express their reactions to Burrow’s recent attempt into the fashion industry.
Joe Burrow out doing side quests pic.twitter.com/zo7LFVp1yu
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) June 23, 2024
Joe Burrow walks around in a suit jacket with no shirt under it and it’s “fashion,” but when I do it I’m “drunk” and have to “leave Easter church service.”
Double standards. pic.twitter.com/8RBOzkMdls
— Drew Garrison (@DrewGarrison) June 24, 2024
Cincinnati is expected to finish the season much better with Burrow at the helm but it will be an interesting season in a dominant AFC North division that continues to improve.
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