Joe Burrow spends day off at the Prado ahead of Madrid NFL game

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow spent his day off in Madrid at the Museo del Prado, telling reporters he wants to see more museums and art galleries before Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons at Santiago Bernabeu stadium, ESPN reported.

“I’d like to go see some more museums and go to an art gallery and do a little shopping, but we’ll see,” Burrow said Friday.

The Bengals arrived in Madrid on Wednesday morning. Burrow visited the Prado that day and was recognized by a group of American students studying abroad. “It’s often a little more than I expect when I’m in a different country,” he said. “I usually expect to go pretty incognito.”

Burrow also mentioned his other off-field interests: “I play a little piano. I build Legos. I play chess. I like art. I like music. I certainly like more things than just football.”

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and ex-Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke visited the Bengals at the training grounds of the Spanish national teams. Burrow talked about his love for international soccer and playing video games with Real Madrid and Barcelona teams.

What the coverage missed

ESPN’s report is a feature. It does not explain why the Bengals are in Madrid.

The NFL has been playing international games since 2007, but Madrid is new. Santiago Bernabeu, home of Real Madrid, is hosting its first regular-season NFL game. The stadium was renovated in 2023 at a cost of more than $1 billion. The NFL wants to grow its Spanish audience, and Burrow is the kind of player who can help.

Burrow is a two-time MVP finalist and one of the league’s most marketable stars. He is also unusual among elite quarterbacks in his willingness to be publicly interested in things other than football. Tom Brady talked about his diet. Patrick Mahomes talks about basketball. Burrow talks about chess and Legos and art museums.

The Bengals are 5-2 and favored against the 3-5 Falcons. The game matters for the standings. Burrow’s willingness to play tourist two days before kickoff is either confidence or distraction, and his track record suggests it is the former.

What I think

Burrow is the most interesting quarterback in the NFL, and it is not close.

The league is full of players who treat every public appearance as a brand exercise. Burrow goes to the Prado and tells reporters he builds Legos. He is not performing eccentricity. He is a person who happens to be very good at football and also interested in other things.

The Madrid game is a good idea. The NFL wants global reach, and Spain is a market where the sport is growing. Putting Burrow in Santiago Bernabeu is the right combination of player and venue. He will sell the game to people who have never watched it, and he will do it without pretending to be someone he is not.