Joe Burrow, Bengals React to Loss in AFC Championship

However, most of Cincinnati’s key players are under contract like wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and defensive standouts Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard and D.J. Reader.

Burrow said recently that the Bengals’ window to win a championship would remain open his entire career. Losing to the Chiefs didn’t change Burrow’s outlook.

“That’s the great thing about the NFL, it’s not like college where you only have four years, you have as many years as you want to, hopefully,” Burrow said. “We will come back, have a great offseason and get better as a team.”

The Steelers decided to retain Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada, despite finishing 26th in the NFL in scoring and 23rd in total yards. It was Canada’s third season on the job, with one year remaining on his contract. However, Steelers Owner Art Rooney II said he liked the chemistry Canada built with quarterback Kenny Pickett as the offense improved late in the season.

“A key factor in the season was having a rookie starting quarterback that stepped in about a quarter of the way through the season,” Rooney said via Noah Strackbein of si.com. “And the progression of Kenny [Pickett], I think was obvious, and good to see. And hopefully, something that we’ll continue to build on next year.”

Rooney didn’t like the idea of bringing in a new offensive coordinator to begin a relationship with Pickett from scratch.

“To kind of start over again, with a new offensive coordinator, could wind up back in the same situation, again, where the first half of the season, you’re breaking in a new coordinator,” Rooney said. “We just felt like there’s enough there to build on that we want to continue to keep that group together.”

The Browns made splash moves last offseason, but it will be a tougher challenge to improve the AFC North’s last-place…