Despite Gaining 15lbs, Joe Burrow Maintains Louisiana Bias Following Lil Wayne’s Shoutout

Louisiana might be Joe Burrow’s first love. After all, despite his brief stint with Ohio as a backup QB, his star-studded career exploded when he went to play for LSU as a starter. From people to food, to music, to fashion, everything about Louisiana has carved a special place in his heart. This is not a one-sided affair, because Louisiana loves him back too. This massive revelation has come forth after the rapper Lil Wayne gave a shoutout to the NFL QB, featuring the highlighted destination, Louisiana.

However, there’s just one problem with Louisiana that Burrow might have had to learn how to fix himself. It’s the food! With a lot of soul food that Louisiana has to offer, it’s hard to turn a blind eye and Joe Burrow is no exception. Burrow did an interview with Complex and rated his Louisiana vs Ohio stint.

Did you know Burrow gained a few pounds when he got to Louisiana? That’s not surprising but being a starting QB he had to abstain from a lot of things, especially fried food, another delicacy that Baton Rouge has to offer. Amongst a lot of things, the Cincinnati Bengals QB was asked about which place had the better food.

“Louisiana has better food. Fried food is just better. I gained 15 pounds my first summer there. Had to learn how to eat a little healthier,” quoted Burrow in the interview. While the QB didn’t exactly name his favorite spot, we did the due diligence to find out where Joe Burrow exactly went in Baton Rouge to get rid of the munchies. A restaurant named The Chimes in Baton Rouge was Burrow’s go-to spot as of 2019.

“Chimes, for sure. Shrimp po-boy with a cup of gumbo,” said Burrow, as reported by 225 Magazine Baton Rouge. Well, Burrow did have an average season in his first year at LSU amassing 2,894 yards and 16 touchdowns. However, as he mentioned, he worked on getting his weight under control and the next year, he went supernova with Ja’Marr Chase.

Burrow not only won the CFP National Championship against Clemson but also had 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns that season, winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming the first SEC QB to have more than 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in that season.

This wasn’t an overnight success for sure, but Burrow’s stint in LSU had more fans rally behind him which might only be comparable to the time Drew Brees played for the Saints. Also, when you get a shoutout from Lil Wayne, you know you’re doing something right!

Joe Burrow joins an elite club, thanks to Lil Wayne

The rap phenom and a Louisiana native, Lil Wayne found Joe Burrow’s time in Louisiana so impactful that he didn’t hesitate to quote him in the lyrics of his latest song with Flau’jae (another LSU women’s basketball star) saying, “Reppin LSU like I’m Joe Burrow,” in their track “Came Out A Beast.” But that’s not all, he thinks that Louisiana’s fans are more enthusiastic. Well after Drew Brees retired, the only thing they could look forward to was the LSU Tigers.

“I would say Louisiana’s fans are more passionate. Louisiana fans…there’s not much to cheer for. You have the Saints and you have the Tigers and in Ohio, you can spread yourself a little more thin I would say,” Burrow pointed out to Complex. However, it’s not like Burrow has total disregard for Ohio.

The scenery in Ohio, the varying weather that allows for an extensive fashion choice, and most importantly, the place that allowed him to reach a Super Bowl against the LA Rams, though it resulted in a 20-23 loss. But if there’s one thing about Ohio that stands out for Burrow, it’s the people. Before going against the Buffalo Bills last year, Burrow sat down with the media and gave the Queen City its due credit.

“It’s the people; that’s why I love Ohio,” Burrow said. “The people are great. Down-to-earth, humble, hardworking. Just made of the right stuff. I love the people here, and that’s kind of what makes Ohio, Ohio,” he added. The game against the Buffalo Bills was a 24-18 victory for Burrow and his squad, who expected the Cincinnati crowd to be “rocking.” In hindsight, there might not be a comparison between both places. Superficially, maybe yes, but those two chapters of his life have carried him to a point in his career where he’s regarded as one of the best to ever do it, if not the best.