“You got LeBron tweeting at me” - Joe Burrow reacts to getting significant social media attention from LeBron James

Joe Burrow has gone from being a college football player trying to nail a starting quarterback job to now getting shout-outs from no less than LeBron James. The Athens, Ohio native recently led the Cincinnati Bengals to a stunning upset of the Kansas City Chiefs for a spot in Super Bowl LVI. Burrow’s meteoric rise to stardom has taken the football world by storm.

With the national media spotlight unerringly trained on him, Joe Burrow has remained grounded. The fame and bright lights have not changed how he looks at life in general and football. He feels very much the same regular guy from Southeast Ohio, except that another Ohio sports superstar has also taken notice of his success.

“The situation that I’m in socially doesn’t feel real to me. Because in my head, I’m just the same old guy…but you got LeBron tweeting me…That part is surreal, the football part, not so much,” Burrow said after leading Bengals to the Super Bowl.

Joe Burrow is on somewhat the same pathway that LeBron James traveled when the NBA superstar gave the city of Cleveland its first title in 52 years. The Bengals, though, will have to beat the star-studded LA Rams to give Cincinnati its first title in more than three decades. “King James” has been there and done that, which is why he gave major props to the Bengals’ quarterback.

Although their journey in sports is quite similar, there are also some differences to the narratives. LeBron James, while still in high school, was already anointed by Sports Illustrated as the “Chosen One.” Joe Burrow, on the other hand, was a third-string quarterback when he entered college football at Ohio State. It was only when he transferred to LSU that Burrow’s fairytale football story really took off.

LeBron James could find himself in a dilemma when Super Bowl LVI arrives. He’s from Ohio and a fan of Joe Burrow. The 18X NBA All-Star is also a huge follower of the LA Rams, particularly of wide receiver and good friend Odell Beckham Jr. The basketball star may just want to sit this one out and celebrate the winner after all is said and done.

Regardless of the outcome of one of the biggest events in America, Joe Burrow’s life has changed in a way almost no one has anticipated. LeBron James, for one, has contributed in a big way to his new stardom off and on the field.

---

The LA Lakers win without LeBron James but still struggled against the Portland Trail Blazers

Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook carried the LA Lakers to the win against the Portland Trail Blazers. [Photo: Marca]

Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook led the LA Lakers’ rally in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers to end a three-game losing skid. Davis, in particular, played like his old superstar self to carry the team to a desperate win over a struggling team. It was their first win since LeBron James was sidelined due to knee soreness.

Despite the win, there are seemingly more answers than questions for the LA Lakers as they navigate James’ tricky injury situation. Even without their franchise player, they shouldn’t be dearly holding on for life against a team with the third-worst defensive rating in the entire NBA.

The Lakers currently sit 9th in the West and are likely to be play-in participants. They still have several issues to fix, even with LeBron James’ return. The thrilling drama that is the Lakers’ season continues as the season moves forward.