When it comes to sports, there are plenty of ways to define success. For some, it’s their great leadership on and off the field. For others, it is their ability to take over a game completely through superior athletic ability. For some, success is winning championships. For others, success is leaving behind a legacy.
No matter the definition of success, Louisiana State University (LSU) and soon-to-be NFL quarterback Joe Burrow has fulfilled it. Dominating the college football landscape in 2019, Burrow is the future of football.
According to ESPN, Burrow threw for 5,761 total yards across 15 games of football in 2019. In addition, Burrow punched the ball in for a throwing touchdown 60 times. Both of these tallies placed him atop the pack in all of the FBS in each respective category.
Burrow capped off his majestic season with awards and achievements. According to the Davey O’Brien Foundation, Burrow won the Davey O’Brien award for best collegiate quarterback. Affirming his dominance, Burrow then went on to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, a trophy handed to the best collegiate football player in the country, according to ESPN.
However, Burrow’s promise as the future best player in the NFL goes beyond his gold-plated, superman-esque season.
As a recruit from Ohio, Burrow was not exactly the most sought after player. In fact, at the school that he first decided to attend, Ohio State University, he was nothing more than a backup. Each throw he made was more likely a throw on the practice field than a throw in a 70,000 person stadium. Although he was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school, to the eyes of most people around the country, he was a nobody.
However, Burrow gained valuable experience from his time at Ohio State. He learned what it meant to fight for his spot. He learned what it meant to be a good teammate. He learned what is meant to persevere.
According to Sports Illustrated, Burrow transferred from Ohio State to Louisiana State in 2018, just before his third year of NCAA eligibility. At LSU, Burrow was immediately installed as the starting quarterback. He had a starting spot and a team that needed him
It was this decision, a change of scenery that Burrow decided was necessary, that changed the trajectory of his whole career. Burrow bit the bullet and decided to step away from his home state of Ohio, and go to a place where he knew he could succeed.
What makes Burrow the greatest NFL-bound talent right now is this toughness. His bounce-back, find a way to succeed attitude. It is his belief in himself even when nobody else wants to. It is his perseverance in finding a home where he could be the best version of himself, even if that means leaving home. It is his composure in each throw he makes. It is his championships. It is his swagger. For the next ten years, football will be all about Joe Burrow and his success.