There's not much that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow can do wrong right now, but that wasn't the case back in his Louisiana State days.
After winning the 2019 Heisman Trophy and edging Jalen Hurts to the award, Burrow was picked up first overall in 2020 by the Bengals, and is now gearing up for his second-straight AFC Championship game. He will be looking to make back-to-back Super Bowls too, which will only increase his stock in Ohio.
But back in Louisiana he was the brunt of a joke among his college team-mates as he elected to eat salad over fried chicken. He was influenced amid pressure from his peers, but whatever was in that coating has clearly done wonders. Louisiana is known for it's fried chicken, and it famously where popular chain Popeyes originates from. Fried chicken may not sound like an ideal source of food for athletes, but it's clearly working in the state.
Burrow has since been joined at the Bengals by former LSU team-mate Ja'Marr Chase, and their link-up has continued in the NFL. Chase was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, and has continued his form this season.
It's not known if Chase was one of the team-mates mocking Burrow at LSU, but the quarterback's choice to have salad as an appetiser over fried chicken was scrutinised. An old video has resurfaced of Burrow explaining the situation, and it's all rather bizarre.
"Well, I went to grab a salad as a little pre-appetiser for some lasagna, and I just start getting made fun of," Burrow explained in the clip. "I look around, I was like 'what are you guys talking about?'
"Like I can't eat a salad down here? They said 'no, grab the fried chicken'. I said 'okay' and that was it."
Burrow moved to LSU in 2018 after graduating from Ohio State, but found his way back a few years later. And now the Bengals side is thriving, and could end their wait for a Super Bowl major.
Before Burrow came in, they hadn't won the AFC Championship in 33 years, but they could record back-to-back wins if they can stop the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. It's a rematch of last year, when the Bengals won 27-24 after overtime.
Patrick Mahomes will be keen to seek revenge, but picked up an injury in their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. It could be crucial in deciding the game, and he will be assessed this week.
