Ben BabyMay 7, 2026, 02:12 PM ETCloseBen Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).Follow on XMultiple Authors
Athletes at the 2026 Met Gala (0:44)Check out the notable athletes at the 2026 Met Gala, including Steph Curry, Serena Williams, Angel Reese and more. (0:44)
It has been a busy but fairly normal offseason tour for Burrow. This was his second consecutive year at the Met Gala. This time, he sported a custom Bode suit alongside Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Burrow also walked the runway at Vogue World 2024 in Paris.
But his time spent this offseason off the field doesn’t mean he hasn’t been preparing for the upcoming season. After the Bengals traded for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, Burrow posted a car selfie with teammates Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki. He also worked with Jordan Palmer, his longtime private quarterback coach.
Oh, and he also spent some time doing Pilates at the Alo Wellness Club in Los Angeles. Burrow is one of Alo’s biggest brand ambassadors.
Despite being extensively photographed this offseason, Burrow has been relatively muted in his public comments.
The lone exception was a recent interview with Vanity Fair, which praised the work the Bengals have done in recent months following a disappointing 2025. Cincinnati missed the playoffs for the third straight season and Burrow, whose happiness was often discussed both by himself and others toward the end of the 6-11 campaign, said that the team needed to look at doing things a bit differently.
The Bengals checked that box by upgrading the defense in a series of acquisitions punctuated by the stunning trade for Lawrence, one of the most ambitious moves in franchise history. Burrow gave Cincinnati’s front office a stamp of approval in his comments to Vanity Fair.
“We’re in our primes playing great football. Finding guys like Dexter and Bryan Cook and Boye [Mafe], to, you know, really solidify that defense so the young guys can also kind of rise up. We’re really going to try to achieve what we want to achieve.”
Athletes at the 2026 Met Gala (0:44)Check out the notable athletes at the 2026 Met Gala, including Steph Curry, Serena Williams, Angel Reese and more. (0:44)
Check out the notable athletes at the 2026 Met Gala, including Steph Curry, Serena Williams, Angel Reese and more. (0:44)
Ben BabyMay 7, 2026, 02:12 PM ETCloseBen Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).Follow on XMultiple Authors
CloseBen Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).Follow on X
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow’s whirlwind offseason tour has finally brought him back to Cincinnati.
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