Reaching the Super Bowl in your first complete NFL season and winning a division title in your second does not exempt you from having off-days at work.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow effectively admitted as such on Wednesday afternoon, when he showed up to a press conference unknowingly wearing the jersey of quarterback Brandon Allen. Allen is No. 8 on Cincinnati’s roster, and Burrow is No. 9.
“Nice jersey,” a reporter said to Burrow as he took his seat at the podium in Allen’s No. 8. “Switch numbers?”
“I guess I put the wrong one on,” Burrow laughed as he faced reporters ahead of the Bengals’ divisional-round showdown with the Bills on Sunday. One writer can be heard in the background saying “Good game, Brandon!”
The 2021 NFL Comeback Player of the Year then walked reporters through what led to his mishap.
“Well, so what happened was I forgot about the press conference,” Burrow said. “So I also have new pants on, and I threw my jersey back on but it apparently wasn’t my jersey.”
“Has it been that type of day?” a reporter asked.
“It’s just been that type of day,” Burrow said.