Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow gives back in a big way to the communities that shaped him.
In partnership with breakfast brand Kodiak — in which 27-year-old Joe is an investor — the Joe Burrow Foundation is donating 9,999 meals (a nod to his No. 9 jerseys over the years) to three different programs in Athens and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (where Joe attended college at Louisiana State University).
In total, Joe and Kodiak are teaming up to donate 30,000 nutritious meals to thousands of students this back-to-school season.
In an exclusive interview with We weeklyJoe’s parents, Robin And Jimexplained that charity was a value they had instilled in all three sons, including Joe’s older brothers, Jamie And Dan.
“We wanted them to understand that it’s important to look beyond themselves,” Robin explained. “Help when you can, and try to empathize with others and understand other people’s situations. If you can do something that could help someone else, you should do it.”
Jim raved about the partnership, saying Kodiak is exactly the kind of brand his son “loves to identify with.”
“They are willing to be there with us and provide support, money and food to people who just don’t have as much as we would like them to,” Jim said.
Click here to learn more about the Joe Burrow Foundation.
As Joe prepares to lead the Bengals into the upcoming season after suffering a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11 of last year, his parents still marvel at how their son has become one of the most recognizable faces in the entire NFL.
“It’s still crazy and a little surreal,” Jim said. “We go to games and see all the Burrow jerseys. It underscores that we’re in a different world now as far as our son is concerned.”
On the other hand, Joe’s rise in the football world also affects how much time his parents can actually spend with him.
“During the season, we have limited access to him, even though we’re his mom and dad,” Jim said, laughing. “He’s locked up. He doesn’t like to see us the day before a game. So we avoid that at all costs until after the game. Little things like that have changed our relationship. He doesn’t come home as much as he used to because he’s so busy.”
Recently, Joe debuted a shocking new blonde buzzcut, which garnered mixed reactions from members of his own family.
“I was the one who got the text from him saying, ‘I dyed my hair,'” Robin said. “That was the week after he cut it really short. We had seen it cut really short because he had come home for a friend’s wedding. The next Wednesday morning he sent a text saying, ‘I dyed my hair.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, send me a picture.’ I was like, ‘All right!'”
While Robin was able to come to terms with Joe’s new look and described himself as “more open-minded,” Jim was a little more critical of his son shaving off his signature wavy locks.
“Joe knows – I’m not saying this without him knowing – that I’m not a big fan of it,” Jim admitted. “Robin is OK with it. I said, ‘If God gives you hair as beautiful as he does, you shouldn’t cut it.'”
Jim continued, “I think it’s just a matter of him wanting to get out of his comfort zone. I don’t know if he has a particular reason for doing it. But he wanted to do it.”
Although it might take some getting used to, Jim isn’t sure if the new hairstyle will stay forever.
“It’s growing back, and we’re thankful for that,” Jim noted. “I don’t think it’s his permanent hairstyle.”
