You’ve seen it. That one pic of joe burrow where he’s sitting in a locker room chair, legs crossed, a massive cigar clamped between his teeth like he just conquered a small nation. It’s the image that basically defined his transition from "college kid with a good arm" to "Joe Cool." But honestly, if you look at the sheer volume of photos that go viral featuring No. 9, you start to realize that we aren't just looking at a quarterback. We're looking at a guy who has accidentally—or maybe very purposefully—turned the "athlete aesthetic" completely on its head.
The Cigar That Changed Everything
Let’s talk about the 2019 LSU National Championship photo. It’s the gold standard for any pic of joe burrow. Most people think he just walked into the locker room and someone handed him a Cuban. Not quite. The reality is a lot more chaotic. KJ Malone, an intern at the time (and son of NBA legend Karl Malone), brought about 150 cigars to the Superdome. The problem? He forgot the cutters and the lighters.
So, Joe did what any sane person would do when they've just thrown for 463 yards: he bit the end off the cigar and hunted down a stadium staffer for a light. When the cops showed up to tell the team to stop smoking indoors, Joe didn't even flinch. He just kept puffing. That photo wasn't a staged PR move. It was a guy who genuinely did not care about the rules in that moment. That’s why it works.
Why the "Joe Cool" Look Sticks
- It’s never too polished.
- He usually looks like he just rolled out of bed, yet somehow looks like a million bucks.
- The Cartier glasses (the "Buffs") weren't a sponsorship at first; they were just something he liked.
The 2024 Blonde Buzz Cut Mystery
Fast forward to the summer of 2024. Suddenly, every social media feed is plastered with a pic of joe burrow sporting a bleached-blonde buzz cut. People lost their minds. Was it a mid-life crisis at 27? Was he trying to be Eminem?
The internet went into a tailspin with conspiracy theories. One Reddit thread even claimed he was tricked into it by a Baltimore Ravens fan who told him a fake story about a sick kid wanting him to shave his head. That’s obviously nonsense. Joe eventually told reporters the truth: he was just bored.
He was hanging out with teammate B.J. Hill, and they made a pact. If Joe buzzed and bleached it, B.J. had to do it too. It was a classic locker room "dare" that ended up on the cover of every sports site in America. It’s a reminder that while we’re analyzing his passer rating, he’s sometimes just a guy making impulsive hair decisions because training camp is long and tedious.
Fashion, Vogue, and the "Backless" Suit
If you want to see how far the Burrow brand has traveled, look at the photos from Vogue World in Paris. Seeing a pic of joe burrow walking a runway in a backless Peter Do suit next to Justin Jefferson was not on anyone's 2024 bingo card.
📖 Related: Michael Carrick Returns: Why This Man U Football News Is Different This Time
The critics came out in droves for that one. His friends roasted him. The internet made memes. But Joe’s take on it was actually pretty insightful. He told Vogue he wanted to get out of his comfort zone. It’s easy to stay in Cincinnati and wear hoodies. It’s a lot harder to walk a runway in Paris with your back exposed to the world. That photo represents a shift in how NFL players see themselves—not just as "football players," but as global icons who can cross over into high fashion without losing their "edge" on the field.
The Fake Photos: Don't Get Fooled
We have to address the "Sith Lord" photo. You might have seen a pic of joe burrow with flowing, shoulder-length blonde hair that looked like it belonged in a Star Wars prequel or a 90s metal band.
It was fake.
📖 Related: BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Live: How to Find the Secret Stream You Are Probably Missing
AI-generated images of Burrow have become a weird sub-genre of NFL Twitter. Because he has such a distinct, almost cinematic look, people love to photoshop him into different eras. While the long hair look went viral, actual photos from Bengals training camp the next morning showed him with his usual short trim. In an era where deepfakes are everywhere, the "long hair Burrow" is the perfect example of how easily we want to believe a cool image, even when it’s totally manufactured.
Recovery and the 2025 Comeback
The most recent iconic pic of joe burrow isn't about fashion or cigars. It’s the ones from late 2025, showing him back on the practice field after a brutal turf toe injury that required surgery.
The medical experts said he’d be out 12 weeks. The photos of him 52 days post-op, already dropping back to pass, told a different story. These images aren't "cool" in the traditional sense, but for Bengals fans, they're the most important ones. They show the grind. They show the sessions with Nick Cosgray and Matt Summers that nobody sees on Sunday. When he showed up to the NFL Honors in early 2025 to collect his Comeback Player of the Year trophy, he looked sharp, but the photos of him in a black hoodie, sweating on a rehab field, are the ones that actually earned him that award.
How to Spot a "Real" Burrow Moment
- The Sunglasses: If they’re Cartier, it’s probably a "business" arrival photo.
- The Teammates: He’s almost always photographed near Ja'Marr Chase or Samaje Perine (when he was there).
- The Expression: Joe rarely does a "fake" smile. If he looks slightly annoyed or completely blank, it’s probably an authentic candid.
What's Next for the Burrow Aesthetic?
As we head deeper into 2026, the pic of joe burrow we’re all waiting for is the one with a Super Bowl ring. Everything else—the Paris runways, the bleach-blonde hair, the victory cigars—is just world-building. He’s built a persona that allows him to be both a "fashion guy" and a "grit guy."
👉 See also: Hellas Verona vs Udinese: Why This Relegation Scrap Actually Matters
If you're looking for the best photos, skip the over-edited Instagram posts. Look for the sideline shots after a fourth-quarter comeback. Look for the grainy locker room videos where he’s passing out cigars to the offensive linemen before he even takes his pads off. That’s where the real Joe Burrow lives.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors:
- If you're looking for authentic memorabilia, the "National Championship Cigar" photo is the most widely bootlegged; always check for the photographer's watermark (usually Getty or AP) to ensure you're getting a licensed print.
- Watch the Bengals' official "Arrival" galleries on game days; that is where his most influential fashion photos originate before they hit social media.
- Understand that "Long Hair Burrow" and many of the "1970s Joe Burrow" photos are AI-generated; always cross-reference with his current injury status or training camp footage to verify what he actually looks like today.