Joe Burrow officially inks rookie deal with Cincinnati Bengals

(Getty Images)

The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft already knows what he’s going to do with the money from his new rookie deal.

After coming to an agreement with the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this week on a contract worth $36.1 million–including a $23.9 million signing bonus–spanning the next four seasons, Joe Burrow officially inked the deal on Friday. He was one of the last handful of picks from the draft to sign his rookie contract.

Pen to paper! ✍ pic.twitter.com/sPSPYA6vDS

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 31, 2020

The 23-year old is fully guaranteed all $36.1 million from his deal. And how does he plan on spending that money? By shoving it into a bank account and letting it build over time. Burrow plans to pull the same move that future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski did when he initially entered the league: live off of endorsement money (which Burrow will surely earn) and save the contract money.

Joe Burrow: I don't plan on spending any contract money. I'll live off my marketing money. I'll let the contract money accrue in the bank. #Bengals

— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) July 31, 2020

Expectations are going to be sky-high for Burrow, who will likely be the Bengals starting quarterback from day one. Cincinnati finished the 2019 season as the worst team in the NFL with a 2-14 record and the franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since Jan. 1991 (Burrow was born in Dec. 1996, for reference). Fans in Cincy are hopeful that Burrow will break that streak sooner rather than later, and he feels the exact same way.

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“Going into my rookie year I expect to play well and I expect to win a lot of games,” Burrow said on Friday, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. “If I look back now, I’m doing myself a disservice and the team a disservice.”

Burrow finished his college career at LSU as one of the sports all-time greats. He set single-season SEC records in completion percentage, completions, and passing yards while also setting the record for most passing touchdowns in a single season with 60 as a senior for the Tigers.