While the cornerbacks are figuring out how to cover Ja’Marr Chase, the Cincinnati Bengals‘ wide receiver is making a shift from being a star wideout to a stakeholder. Chase is no longer selling defenses. He is selling products that he owns.

The 25-year-old made a move away from the field, stepping into an owner-partner role at Flerish Hydration. What’s different about his move is that he is not just endorsing the brand, but stepping into ownership. He announced this partnership on Instagram.

“I wanted something clean that I would actually drink… I am here to grow the brand and help bring it to the bigger stage,” Chase said in a conversation with Boardroom. 

Chase, who entered his fifth season in the NFL for the Bengals, has established himself as one of the best players in the league. He signed a four-year extension worth $161 million, including a $112 million guaranteed amount. So far, the wide receiver has made approximately $72 million in his career.

With this move, he is positioning himself as a veteran who understands the volatility of the NFL. Chase is thinking about longevity and beyond football. Furthermore, he has brand endorsement deals with Pepsi, Raising Cane’s, Progressive, Bose, and 7-Eleven, something that reflects his business mindset.

While Chase is building security outside of football, the on-field future for the Bengals’ other cornerstone, Joe Burrow, is becoming a topic of intense speculation. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Bengals, and the team made its feelings known after offering him a $275 million extension in 2023.

However, there is still a cloud of uncertainty, and “crazy things happen,” which is what Burrow said about his future.

Joe Burrow opens up about his future

While this has been a season to forget for the Bengals, Burrow did not quite give a clear answer about his future. When asked if he could see himself playing for a different team, this is what the quarterback said:

“A lot of crazy things happen every year,” Burrow said Wednesday. “I expect to play for a long time, and I expect to play well and consistently great for a long time.”

However, with only four wins this season so far, Burrow is caught between fans who want to protect him and those who want to lose the remaining games to improve the Bengals’ 2026 draft position. Plus, he missed nine games due to injury this season.

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“It feels like everybody’s trying to do everything in their power to make me not play football, and I feel like I’m fighting it,” Burrow said. “I’m fighting everybody else. I just want to play ball. That’s all I want to do.”

Well, it is unclear whether Burrow will be a part of the team next season, but Bengals legend had his say on the matter.

When you zoom out, this represents the mindset of modern-day NFL players. One player is discussing uncertainty even in the most secure-looking situations, while the other is building a strategy that will enable him to thrive regardless of the team. With the playoffs out of the picture, the Bengals will now face the Miami Dolphins, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Cleveland Browns.