Bengals’ curious timing of Joe Burrow contract news steals Chiefs’ spotlight: ‘That was not a coincidence’

The Bengals and Chiefs have become one of the NFL’s best rivalries. And the rivalry doesn’t wait until they play each other.

Cincinnati agreed to terms with Joe Burrow on a massive extension, making its quarterback the highest-paid player in NFL history. The timing of the news leaking was immediately suspect: it happened minutes into the Chiefs’ season-opening contest against the Lions.

MORE: How Burrow’s extension impacts Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

And as it turns out, it was no coincidence the news dropped when it did.

“The Bengals did announce this deal, or it was reported, right when the Chiefs kicked off their game here on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions. Make no mistake about it, that was not a coincidence. That was done purposefully,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov reported. “The Bengals try to get into the party here tonight by announcing that right before kickoff.”

“Make no mistake about it, that was not a coincidence”

Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) says the timing of the announcement of Joe Burrow record-breaking deal was on purpose pic.twitter.com/3qhAtMkgJW

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 8, 2023

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When news dropped, people around the organization had reportedly known since practice that Burrow had inked his five-year extension to remain in Cincinnati through 2029. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that at practice, it was “an open secret” that Burrow had his deal done. 

Meirov had reported there was consideration to dropping the news on Friday to get past Thursday’s game, but that the team ultimately decided to leak the news as the Chiefs-Lions game began. 

Allowing the news to drop as the reigning Super Bowl champions opened the 2023 season is just the latest barb in the rivalry between the two teams. But they won’t see each other face-to-face until Dec. 31, when they face off in a New Year’s Eve afternoon clash in Arrowhead Stadium.