Burrow admits he wasn't a Bengals fan growing up: 'It was the Saints'

Joe Burrow is back with Cincinnati and on a mission to lead the 4-8 Bengals to a miracle run to the postseason, but his heart, growing up, belonged to another NFL franchise.

Before being drafted by the Bengals and becoming the face of Cincy sports, Burrow grew up a major football and video game fan. Before he took the field in Baltimore to upset the Ravens in his return after missing most of the season, the Bengals QB was questioned on which team he played in Madden growing up.

The answer?

The New Orleans Saints.

“I was the Saints, I always played with the Saints," Burrow said. "When Reggie Bush got to the league, then I started being a Saints fan, and I started liking Drew Brees.”

Burrow followed Bush during his dynamic years in Southern California when USC was the epicenter of college football. After getting selected No. 2 overall by the Saints in 2006, the 9-year-old Burrow became enamored with the high-flying offense down south in Louisiana.

He would eventually go on to become his own legend in the state, partnering with Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase to lead the LSU Tigers to a national title in 2019 as one of the most dominant teams in college football history.

While New Orleans fans will continue dreaming about what Burrow would look like in black and gold, Bengals fans will turn to the gauntlet of games in front of the Bengals. They will likely need to win out and finish 9-8 to have a chance at winning the AFC North and head to the playoffs.

If Burrow didn't believe he and the rest of the team could do it, though, he wouldn't have returned on Thanksgiving. One win down, five more to go.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Burrow admits he wasn't a Bengals fan growing up: 'It was the Saints'