“He has tools that I didn’t have at his age. I love his game!”
Quarterback legend Tom Brady (44) talks about his legitimate successor Joe Burrow (25).
In the night from Sunday to Monday (0.30 a.m. DAZN and ProSieben) the 56th Super Bowl will take place in the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Everything seems clear on paper: The Rams are favorites at their home game – if it weren’t for Burrow. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback shooting star is the best hope for a sensation. Football fans worldwide look to him – just like Brady, who has just announced his retirement after 22 years and seven Super Bowl titles (six with the New England Patriots, one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Young, blond, everybody’s darling type and an absolute mega talent – Joseph Lee Burrow, called Joe, reminds a lot of Brady.
“Joe coming back from a serious injury and having an incredible season shows the strength of his mind and body,” Brady enthuses.
In November 2020, Burrow suffered a cruciate and medial ligament tear, among other things. He was operated on by the current team doctor of the Rams. Now he’s back. And how! Brady and Burrow recently spoke face-to-face.
The Bengals star was a guest on the quarterback legend’s Let’s Go podcast and revealed how Brady changed his life: “I saw you take a nasty hit against the Bills in 2001. You got up so quickly, that inspired me. I said to myself: I want to be like you! This scene is still a role model for me today!”
Burrow has been sacked 51 times this season and 12 times in the current playoffs, meaning they’ve been knocked out by their opponents. Brady is thrilled with his fighting spirit, saying, “He gets knocked out, he gets back up and just keeps playing.”
Burrow is in his second NFL season in the Super Bowl. Like Brady back then, who led the New England Patriots to the final in 2002 in his second year as a pro. By the way, Burrow was five years old at the time.
Who is Burrow exactly?
- Drafted first in 2020 by the Bengals.
- He could be the first NFL star ever to win the Heisman Trophy (best college player), the National Title (college title) and the Super Bowl. Even Brady couldn’t do that!
- He celebrated the college title with Louisiana State University (LSU for short) with a fat cigar – just like his entry into the Super Bowl.
- He’s never lost a playoff game while on the field with sidekick and favorite pass receiver Ja’Marr Chase (21) (formerly LSU, now Bengals).
- He is firmly convinced that he is so athletic that he could compete in basketball at any time: “In the NBA I would score 12 to 15 points.”
- NBA megastar LeBron James (37) is a big fan of the “Joey Franchise”.
- Burrow’s girlfriend Olivia Holzmacher (24) is almost as pretty as supermodel Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady’s wife. Both have been together since August 2017. She works as a senior process specialist and analyst at US supermarket giant Kroger, where her work includes creating visualizations for the company’s pickup and delivery services. Together they have a mini golddoodle named Beau.
Will he be the new Brady? The whole football world will see the answer on Monday night.