The Los Angeles Rams rallied late to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, capturing their second championship in franchise history and first on the West Coast. The team will now hold a victory parade on Wednesday outside of the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
The Rams winning the Super Bowl was the icing on the cake for players at or nearing the end of their career, including Eric Weddle, who confirmed he is going back into retirement. The title was equally important for Matthew Stafford’s legacy, who hadn’t won a playoff game prior to the 2021 season.
Stafford and the Rams thwarted what had been a remarkable season for the Bengals, who were led by second-year quarterback Joe Burrow. After an injury-shortened rookie campaign, the 25-year-old led the organization to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1988 en route to being named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Although he was on the losing side of Super Bowl LVI, Burrow received high praise from Stafford and was told to keep being himself, per Cameron DaSilva of USA Today:
“You’re a hell of a player,” Stafford said. “You got a great future, man. Love competing against you. You just keep being you, buddy.”
Stafford and Burrow are at completely different points in their career as the Rams quarterback just completed his 13th NFL season, whereas the Bengals star still has plenty of football ahead of him.
Burrow’s fast path to stardom began at the collegiate level when he led the LSU Tigers to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy in 2019. He was then selected by the Bengals with the No. 1 overall pick in the following year’s NFL Draft.
In addition to the mutual respect he has for Stafford, Burrow developed a friendship with another Rams veteran in Andrew Whitworth when the two rehabbed respective knee injuries last season.
