CINCINNATI Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has yet to prove his fitness following a season-ending wrist injury.
But First Take guest host Harry Douglas boldly asserted that the NFL star will be the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs achieving a historic Super Bowl three-peat.
4
4
“For me, I’m going with the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow,” Douglas said on Thursday’s show.
“You mentioned that 3-1 record against Patrick Mahomes and that’s something to be said.
“There are only two quarterbacks in NFL history who beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.
“One of them is Joe Burrow and Tom Brady, who is no longer playing football. He is now in the broadcast booth.
“When I look at Joe and his presence in the pocket, I don’t think anyone plays the quarterback position better than Joe Burrow from a pocket standpoint.
“Two hands on the football, feeling things around you, still keeping your eyes on the field.”
Douglas added that the Chiefs need to stay healthy and avoid injuries to achieve their lofty ambitions.
But he added: “Health is the main thing that can stop them from repeating three times.
Most read in American football
“Second being the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow.
“But cheers to Joe Burrow, having that right wrist injury.
“How will he be? How will this affect him?”
Many First Take fans were unimpressed with Douglas, who replaced the absent Stephen A. Smith.
“They are looking into this matter,” said one fan.
“Here we go again,” said another.
“Burrow needs to stay healthy first,” noted a third.
Douglas’s hot take comes with ESPN viewers desperate for the return of First Take regulars Molly Qerim and Stephen A.
4
The popular sports debate show has undergone a series of temporary personnel changes over the past month.
And Thursday’s edition was led by Christine Williamson, after returning from ESPN 2 to its regular time slot on Monday.
“The first take this time of year is really the third take, who are these people,” complained one viewer on X.
“First Take falls apart without Molly,” said another.
“Where’s Molly? Steven A? Shannon? Come on, this is getting crazy,” a third added.
Meanwhile, Burrow was seen sporting a new cut in a Bengals training video.
First look at the numbers
First Take has grown from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim over the past year.
ESPN’s weekday debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 — making it the most-watched year in the show’s history.
Its December average of 611,000 represented a 24% annual increase compared to 2022.
The show has also recorded more than 250 million views on YouTube.
First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
The QB is known for having long, straight brown locks.
Two seasons ago, Burrow led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance and lost by just three points to the Los Angeles Rams.
Last year, he played just 10 games before needing season-ending wrist surgery.
Burrow threw for 2,903 yards and 15 touchdowns while recording 10 interceptions in those games.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25550927/pixel_fold_9_google.png?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "Google Pixel 9 event: start time and how to watch"){kind=tracking}
