AMES, Iowa — Among the Bengals fans gearing up for Super Bowl LVI are more than a handful of Ames residents.
They're rooting for Joe Burrow—the star quarterback was born there, and even though he moved by age four, the Burrow name travels far in Ames.
Joe Burrow's father, Jim Burrow, spent more than a decade on the sidelines both inside Jack Trice Stadium and at Ames High School. Jim also had two sons play for the Little Cyclones.
So even though Joe only spent a few years in Iowa, he's an honorary member of the Ames community.
"The Burrow family was an integral part of Ames athletics in the 90s," said Bruce Vertanen, who coached with Jim at the high school.
"One of the traditions at Ames High is the coaches' kids a lot of times will get out on the field after the game is over... and who would have known that we were going to see a Super Bowl quarterback throwing a nerf ball," Vertanen said.
And here's a crazy stat for all the Joe fans: There have only been two starting quarterbacks to ever win both a national title and a Super Bowl. Joe Namath (with Alabama and the New York Jets) and Joe Montana (with Notre Dame and the 49ers).
So with a national championship already under his belt, Joe Burrow could become the third person—and the third Joe—to make that list.
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