Joe Burrow grateful for Manning family mentoring

Back in April, we learned that Peyton Manning received a call from soon-to-be Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. The two had met the previous summer when Burrow competed in the Manning Passing Academy, and the whole Burrow family met the whole Manning family.

During that April conversation, they talked about how to navigate through a rookie season as a starter, and who better to talk to than Manning, the guy that made about as many rookie mistakes as a rookie could make.

Peyton used to receive advice like this from his father, the great Archie Manning. Now, as Burrow is going through the motions as a first-year signal-caller, Archie is bestowing his wisdom to him as well. Burrow told ESPN’s Ben Baby and other local reporters about his consistent communication with Archie.

“Archie texts me every week and that means a lot to not only me but my family as well,” Burrow said.

The latest text Burrow had received from the senior Manning was after he lost 27-3 to the Baltimore Ravens. Manning explained that it was a very similar to one that his son, Eli Manning, had during his own rookie season. It’s that perspective that makes Burrow’s dad, Jimmy Burrow, appreciative of the Manning family’s compassion and care for his son.

“They’re just great people,” Jimmy Burrow said. “When they took a special interest in Joe, then we just kind of became a part of that.”

Burrow is now set to take on Peyton’s former team in the Indianapolis Colts. He’s going to need more than Peyton and Archie’s advice to turn the Bengals’ season around, but having those two minds in his contacts list probably doesn’t hurt.