Joe Burrow’s 2025 season was a disaster on the field. After tearing a ligament in his toe during Week 2, he underwent surgery and missed most of the year.
By the time he returned on Thanksgiving, the Bengals were 3-8 and effectively out of the playoff race. Burrow played the final eight games anyway, throwing for 1,809 yards and 17 touchdowns, but the team finished 6-11, their worst record in five years.
While his season was forgettable, his offseason in Los Angeles has been quite the opposite. On March 15, Burrow was seen leaving the Vanity Fair Oscars party in a car with Alix Earle, Tate McRae, and Stassie Karanikolaou. The following week,Tom Brady mocked him for the “wildcat” behavior during a flag football draft.
Detroit Lions Trey Hendrickson
Injured Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) talks on the bench with injured defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 12 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
Days later, he was spotted at Alba restaurant with Olivia Ponton. In less than a week, he was linked to three different high-profile women, making him the biggest story in the NFL’s social circles.
Fans rip Joe Burrow for ‘not winning on the field so he’s winning off it’ with model afterparties
Olivia Ponton, a Sports Illustrated model with a 7.5 million TikTok following, was first linked to Burrow in Dec. 2024. While the Ohio native was in Dallas for a game, Ponton called emergency services to report a burglary at his $7.4 million home in Ohio.
Later, the police report listed her as an “employee,” leading to endless dating chatter. Burrow, however, told reporters his privacy was violated and that he wanted to keep his personal life private.
The two were seen together in May 2025 at the Miami Grand Prix and Met Gala afterparties. Despite breakup rumors, fansrecently spotted Ponton in the background of a photo posted by Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin.
👀 Joe Burrow steps out with Olivia Ponton after his Oscars night w/ Alix Earle and Tate McRae. https://t.co/XhdUmT29rr pic.twitter.com/HcjLRPrtHp
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 20, 2026
When a photographer recently asked Burrow about the women he was seen with on Oscar night, he answered, “Nowhere.” Fans have connected the Oscars car ride, the reunion with Ponton, and the original employee incident this NFL offseason.
One fanwrote, “Joe is a man-hoe.”
Another fanadded, “Joe B playing the field in his off-season. Gettin’ it in.”
A thirdnoted, “Zesty.”
The fourth fanclaimed, “Gay best friend vibes.”
A fifth oneremarked, “Employer-Employee relations just got real spicy.”
Burrow heads into 2026 with a fully healthy toe, all five of his starting offensive linemen returning for the first time in his career.After a season defined by injuries, he finally has a full offseason to reset. His arm is ready, his schedule is clear, and based on his recent social life, his options are open.