Gesicki: I'm OK paying 'Joe Burrow tax' to stay a Bengal

There's one reason tight end Mike Gesicki decided to leave money on the table and rejoin the Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow.

"I definitely knew that I was going to take the 'Joe Burrow tax,'" Gesicki told Dayton Daily News' Laurel Pfahler. "I'm cool with it. ... It makes it easy to come back to a place like this."

Gesicki added: "I'm going to work my tail off every single day for the Cincinnati Bengals, but (also) for Joe Burrow because, I mean, he did so much for my career last year, just giving me the opportunity and believing in me and trusting me."

The 29-year-old agreed to a three-year, $25.5-million extension Saturday. He was set to become a free agent Wednesday after signing a one-year, $2.5-million contract with the Bengals in 2024.

Burrow signed a five-year, $275-million extension in 2023, which would keep him in Cincinnati until 2030. The passer said in February that he'd restructure his contract to get core offensive contributors like Gesicki to stay.

Gesicki said he didn't want to take "too big of a chunk" to prevent other key players, like wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, from getting a long-term deal, per Pfahler. The Bengals currently have $33.2 million in cap space for 2025, according to Over the Cap.

"You hear about your value and all that kind of stuff and what it could be, and at that point, it's just like, this is what I want," Gesicki said. "I wanted to go to Cincinnati, and I wanted to be in an offense that allowed me to reach my potential, and I think that this place gives me everything I'm looking for."

Gesicki caught 65 passes for 665 yards and two touchdowns with Cincy. The team finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.