Bengals rookie addresses claim that he slept through meetings
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) catches a pass for a touchdown as Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner back Zyon McCollum (27) attempts to stop him in the fourth quarter of the NFL preseason game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton responded to some odd comments suggesting he had a history of sleeping through meetings.
During the Bengals’ preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts, a game nationally televised on Amazon Prime, play-by-play announcer Al Michaels seemed to suggest that Burton had a history of sleeping through meetings. Kirk Herbstreit noted Burton had some character and discipline questions coming out of Alabama, which prompted the comment from Michaels.
Is Bengals rookie receiver Jermaine Burton sleeping in meetings?
Here’s the exchange between Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dBlEsEV4sI
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) August 23, 2024
“Yeah, don’t sleep through meetings, right?” Michaels said.
It was not clear if Michaels was referring to something that happened during preseason or that may have taken place at college. Either way, the implication that Burton slept through meetings at some point was pretty obvious.
On Thursday, Burton dismissed the claim, admitting he was perplexed by it and had no idea where it even came from.
“I don’t even know,” Burton told Elise Jesse of On SI. “I don’t know where that came from. I was confused myself.”
Burton did have some questions coming out of Alabama. The Crimson Tide had to discipline him after he seemingly shoved a female fan who was storming the field after Tennessee beat Alabama last season, for instance. However, this unflattering claim was a new one, at least publicly.
The Bengals selected Burton in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He is unlikely to have a significant role in the offense as a rookie unless Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins miss time at some point.
