Joe Burrow on course to achieving what only Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, and Russell Wilson have in NFL history

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow

Joe Burrow leading the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl is one of the most surprising moments in NFL history. Burrow had a promising rookie season that ended prematurely after he tore his ACL. However, he has played his sophomore season with a vengeance and has entrenched himself as an elite quarterback for years to come.

Joe Burrow joins elite category in NFL history by advancing to the Super Bowl. In NFL history, six other quarterbacks have started in the Super Bowl in their second season. They are Dan Marino (1984), Kurt Warner (1999), Tom Brady (2001), Ben Roethlisberger (2005), Colin Kaepernick (2012), and Russell Wilson (2013).

Only four second-year starting quarterbacks (Kurt Warner Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Russell Wilson) have won the Super Bowl. Burrow could cement his place in NFL history even further with a victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 13.

Who will Joe Burrow join in NFL history if he wins the Super Bowl?

AFC Championship - Cincinnati Bengals v Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Championship - Cincinnati Bengals v Kansas City Chiefs

Following his team's AFC Championship win against the Chiefs, in which Joe Burrow threw two touchdowns and one interecption on 250 passing yards. Burrow will now look to join some of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen should he win the Super Bowl.

Kurt Warner was the first second-year quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He accomplished this in 1999 when he had a phenomenal season. He led the Rams to a 13-3 record and threw for 41 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.

Warner is an outlier in this scenario in terms of his age. Warner famously got a late start to his NFL career and was 28 years old when he defeated the Tennessee Titans to win the Super Bowl.

Future Hall of Famer Tom Brady followed in Warner's footsteps two seasons later. In 2001, Brady was the starting quarterback out of necessity for the New England Patriots, due to an injury to then QB1 Drew Bledsoe.

The 24-year-old Brady led a drive for a game-winning field goal against Warner's Rams. Brady managed the game effectively and wasn't the aggressive downfield thrower he became later in his career. The New England Patriots won 20-17 in Brady's first of seven championships.

Joe Burrow has the chance to join former AFC North rival Ben Roethlisberger with a Super Bowl win. Roethlisberger entered the league as hot as any quarterback ever, going 13-0 to start his career. In his second season, Roethlisberger defeated the Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl at age 23. Unlike Warner and Brady, Roethlisberger didn't win the game's MVP award as Hines Ward was the winner.

The final quarterback Joe Burrow can join in NFL history is Russell Wilson. Wilson was 25 years old in 2013 when the Seahawks' Legion of Boom defense was at its peak. Wilson was masterful in the regular season and the playoffs that year. The Seahawks didn't just defeat the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos. They wiped the floor with them in a 43-8 game that was never close.

Burrow has a solid chance of joining these elite quarterbacks. The Bengals have a talented roster across the board. Ja'Marr Chase, Joe Mixon and Trey Hendrickson have been three standout players who have led the Bengals to success this season.

In a relatively short time, Joe Burrow has established he belongs in the upper tier of NFL quarterbacks with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. How far Burrow can take his legacy is up to him and will be exciting to watch over the next 15 years.

Burrow finished the 2021 regular-season with 4,611 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, a completion percentage of 70.4 and a passer rating of 108.3.


Also Checkout: Kurt Warner super bowl wins

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Edited by David Nyland