Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has spoken about the recent break-in of his home on Monday Night.
Burrow delivered a prepared statement regarding the burglary, which occurred while he and the team were on the road facing the Dallas Cowboys.
The quarterback admitted one of the most troubling aspects of the situation was how much personal information had become public knowledge.
“I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one, and way more is already out there than I would want out there and that I care to share,” Burrow said.
According to an incident report, model Olivia Ponton called police after discovering a shattered window at Burrow’s residence.
A local news station further circulated aerial footage of the scene, amplifying the public scrutiny.
Burrow, who has consistently worked to keep his personal life separate from his public persona, acknowledged that this type of attention is part of the territory for a high-profile athlete, though it remains a difficult adjustment.
“We live a public life,” Burrow admitted.
Joe Burrow:
– 3,706 passing yards (1st in NFL)
– 33 passing TDs (1st in NFL)
– 285.1 yards/game (1st in NFL)Ja’Marr Chase:
– 1,319 receiving yards (1st in NFL)
– 15 receiving TDs (1st in NFL)
– 93 catches (1st in NFL)Best duo in the league right now? 👀 pic.twitter.com/b9Ga3gwOv4
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2024
“One of my least favourite parts of that is the lack of privacy, and that has been difficult for me to deal with my entire career.”
The incident is being investigated as a felony and mirrors a string of burglaries targeting prominent athletes.
Last month, the FBI briefed the NFL and other leagues about such cases, citing recent break-ins at the homes of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
When asked about his concerns for safety going forward, Burrow declined to comment but acknowledged that balancing personal and professional boundaries has grown increasingly challenging since he entered the NFL.
He added: “It’s definitely been difficult this week, but for the most part, I’m pretty good at it, considering during the season, you don’t really have a personal life.
“It’s kind of all football. Obviously, things come up that you don’t expect, and when those come up you try to do your best to handle them quickly and be able to move on from it and focus on ball.”
Despite the off-field distractions, Burrow is having a standout season. He leads the league in passing yards (3,706) and touchdowns (33).
As the Bengals (5-8) prepare for Sunday’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans (3-10), Burrow emphasised the importance of finishing the season strong, even as playoff hopes dim.
“No one win is going to solve anything at this point,” Burrow said. “There’s not a win out there that can affect a lot of different things right now. So we’re just focused on going out and trying to play well, trying to find a win on Sunday and continue to try and get better.”
