Burrow's rookie deal signing delayed by pandemic
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Joe Burrow hasn't signed his rookie contract yet, as the Cincinnati Bengals wait to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact their revenue.
"I'm waiting for all the money to hit," Burrow said Friday on Barstool's "Pardon My Take" podcast. "Haven't signed the contract yet, so we're just kind of waiting to see what happens over the next three months because we really don't know."
Burrow was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, which took place in late April. He'll receive a signing bonus of nearly $24 million once he inks his contract, a figure large enough to affect the Bengals' short-term cash flow.
Agents and teams are bracing for an unusually long wait for the top picks to sign, according to ESPN's Ben Baby. On Friday, Derrick Brown - the seventh overall selection by the Carolina Panthers - became the first top-32 pick to sign his rookie deal.
With team facilities still closed, Burrow participated in the Bengals' virtual rookie minicamp following the draft. He's still living with his parents in Ohio and sleeping every night in his Star Wars-themed childhood bedroom.
"My dad likes to make the joke that I'm a 23-year-old millionaire living in my parents' basement," he said.