Browning played just four NFL snaps prior to replacing Burrow at the end of the second quarter Thursday at Baltimore. Browning will get his first start Sunday against Pittsburgh, trying to keep Cincinnati (5-5) in the playoff hunt.
“This is what Jake’s built for,” Williams said. “I think that’s been one of the things he really hasn’t changed at all in 10 years. It’s one of those things where he’s just very even-keel. He’s a really hard worker, not too emotional, high, low, whatever. He’s just, as a quarterback, extremely accurate, great player, threw (91) touchdowns in a season senior year. We won state by 61 points, so I’ve seen what he can do. And you know, it’s a little different on this level, but I know that he can handle it and I’m excited to play with him.”
According to MaxPreps.com, Browning’s 91 touchdowns in 2014 rank in a tie for the most touchdowns thrown in a season among high school quarterbacks, and his 229 career passing touchdowns is 10 more than the next best guy on the list. He ranks third on the all-time career passing yards list, having amassed 16,775 yards passing during the 2012 through 2014 seasons at Folsom. Two Ohio quarterbacks — Kenton’s Maty Mauk (18,932) and Ben Mauk (17,364) — are ahead of him.
Browning led Folsom to an undefeated season as a senior and a second state title in four years. He threw for 5,790 yards that year, which ranks sixth most for a single season.
Williams remembers the team’s closest game being decided by 42 points. He doesn’t expect Browning to do that with the Bengals, but they just “need to win some games” and many of the things that made Browning a great high school quarterback can still make him successful in the NFL. He also went on to a highly successful career at the University of Washington, where Browning played against Williams and Alabama in the college football playoffs in 2016.
"We believe in Jake and that's why he's here and that's why he's getting this opportunity." pic.twitter.com/jtPFA3pgz3
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 20, 2023
“Just outrageously good accuracy,” Williams said about what stood out most about Browning in high school. “I’d watch him just hit the crossbar of the goalposts just 10 times in a row, no problem. And, you know, it was just ridiculous the way he was in high school. So as a football player like that, but mentally really hard worker, and like, I was saying before, he’s super even-keel. He’s not going to be, you know, overwhelmed by an atmosphere or anything like that. He’s just showing up and he’s working.”
“I’m not going to sit and compare them because obviously Joe’s one of the better players in the NFL, but I have a lot of confidence in what Jake can do. And I’m excited to watch him perform.”
Browning didn’t dazzle in his first real NFL opportunity, but his first few plays showed promise until his third-down dime to Trenton Irwin was overturned as incomplete, and he ended on a high note with a touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase.
“It was a very tough spot, it was a big divisional game on the road under the lights, and as an offense, we weren’t doing especially well,” Williams said. “So it’s a tough spot to come in. But you know, he did really well. And he led a great touchdown drive at the end of the game, so we put a lot more of those together, and I think we can win a bunch of games.”
The Bengals don’t need Browning to be just like Burrow, but it’s not just on Browning to keep the team afloat. Everyone else needs to “elevate their game,” according to Williams.
Cincinnati was a much different team the last time Burrow was lost midseason to an injury. In 2020, the Bengals didn’t have Chase, the defense was still rebuilding and the offensive line looked nothing like the one Williams is a part of alongside four different starters that came in 2022 and beyond.
Browning has a better supporting cast that is capable of doing more, even without Burrow.
“It’s adversity,” Williams said. “You know, Joe means a lot to this team as a leader and as a player. So, it’s obviously hard to see him go down. But, I think that this team as a whole is greater than any one player, even a player like Joe, so, we know that we’re going to face the adversity. We’re in here today and kind of getting our feet back underneath ourselves getting ready to go and play a great division team in Pittsburgh.”
SUNDAY’S GAME
Steelers at Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
About the Author