The LSU graduate turned Bengals Quarterback has shocked the football world by breaking one record after another, yet his records are not the only thing that he is attracting. Will he become the next Tom Brady?

During the Super Bowl, 112.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals play against one another. However, it was not the half-time show featuring Hip-Hop legends, nor the heartwarming story behind Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford’s decision to play for his winning team, that had the spotlight for the majority of the night.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has caught the attention of nearly all demographics, often being referred to as “Joe Shiesty” on social media. According to Urban Dictionary, the nickname “Shiesty” translates to an “action done by someone that is greedy and purposefully hurts someone else.” By seeing how Burrow handles his opponents on the field, the nickname seems pretty accurate.

The youngest of three boys, Burrow grew up in Appalachian Ohio. An alumni of Athens High School, he led the school to its first seven playoff victories. He played for Ohio State for two years, before transferring to Louisiana State University (LSU) where he was named the starting quarterback as a junior.

2019 was a significant year for Burrow, due to his Heisman Trophy win. During his acceptance speech, he mentioned the food insecurity and poverty plaguing his hometown. Within a matter of minutes after his speech, his hometown of Athens County received $450,000 in donations. His generosity led to the creation of the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund, which has received $1.5 million in two years.

Being selected first overall in the draft by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020 paid off. He led them to their first playoff win in 32 years, as well as holding franchise records. Burrow’s newfound fame has brought people together to talk about football and simply about his qualities as a person in general.

The outside linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams Von Miller recently discussed Burrow’s future in football to SiriusXM Radio. “I don’t like making comparisons to anybody else. Joe Burrow is his own guy, but you definitely see shades of Tom Brady in this guy,” said Miller, when expressing his opinions toward Burrow.

Burrow has garnered three million followers on Instagram, where his comment section is filled with loads of people fawning over his qualities. “He is fine,” said junior Molly DeHaven, who understands why people would designate Burrow as their celebrity crush. Nevertheless, some students at PFHS don’t feel the hype as DeHaven does. 

“He kind of looks like Pennywise,” said sophomore Louise Leao, who is not impressed by the acclaim Burrow is receiving. Another person who wants to remain anonymous said, “He looks like a man child.”

Regardless of what the two said above, Joe Burrow’s career has taken off since his position at LSU. Even though he may not be at the likes of other Gen Z’s celebrity crushes, such as Timothee Chalamet or Andrew Garfield, he remains a hometown hero in Ohio and a chance to take Brady’s position as the MVP.