NFL Rumors: Joe Burrow, Bengals Had 'Players-Only' Meeting After 1-4 Start to Season

Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are aiming to fix their early-season struggles.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Bengals held a "players-only" meeting prior to their Week 6 matchup against the New York Giants:

"We told you last week that the Cleveland Browns had a players-only meeting, and we saw how that worked out against Washington. (There has to be a stat out there that tracks the record of teams after these players-only meetings; I'm going to guess it's 0-387.)The Cincinnati Bengals had their own "players-only" gathering to find ways to crawl out of a 1-4 hole. One Bengals player told me: "It wasn't a big deal at all. We got a good group." If there is any offense that can surge, it's Joe Burrow and company. This group was humming against the Ravens, with Burrow breaking out of his usual September slog."

The Bengals are 1-4 on the season and sit in last place in the AFC North. This comes despite high expectations entering the season and overall solid play from the offense.

Burrow has thrown for 1,370 yards with 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions while Ja'Marr Chase has 493 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The offense has scored 140 points through five games.

Cincinnati's four losses have all been by a one-score margin. The Bengals nearly knocked off the defending Super Bowl champion in the Kansas City Chiefs and the 2023 AFC No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens. Still, just 6.6 percent of teams who started 1-4 have reached the postseason and none have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

The Bengals will hope to beat those slim odds and that a "players-only meeting" serves its purpose.