Joe Burrow’s nicknames, explained: From ‘Joey Franchise’ to ‘Joe Shiesty’

Most successful quarterbacks accumulate nicknames during their time in the NFL. Few have as many as second-year Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow already does.

The 25-year-old, who was drafted No. 1-overall in 2020, may add “Super Bowl winner” to his titles when he and the Bengals take on the Rams during Super Bowl 2022 on Sunday.

This season, Burrow threw for 4,711 yards, 34 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 17 games. As a result of his successful season — he led Cincinnati to its first playoff win in over 30 years — the quarterback has numerous nicknames to highlight his ability to perform under pressure and his unique sense of style.

Here’s a breakdown of Burrow’s most popular monikers and why he’s received them.

Joe Cool

Burrow is known as a player who doesn’t crack under pressure. In tough situations he keeps a cool head, thus snatching him the “Joe Cool” nickname from the likes of Joe Flacco and Joe Montana.

Joey Franchise

This one is self-explanatory. Bengals fans began labeling the young quarterback “Joey Franchise” after he was named Cincinnati’s starting quarterback as a rookie.

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Joe Shiesty

This is one of Burrow’s two nicknames given by Traphouse Sports, a popular TikTok account. Within one video, the person voicing the audio calls the young quarterback both “Joe Shiesty” and “Joe Brrr,” which gave both nicknames instant popularity.

The moniker likely comes from rapper Pooh Shiesty who uses the rolled R “Brrr” often in his songs. “Shiesty” on its own means an action that is greedy and knowingly hurts someone else. This adds up when considering the way that Burrow dismantles the defenses of his opponents.

Joe Brrr

The other nickname given to Joey B by Traphouse Sports. The meaning is the same as Joe Shiesty and came from the same video.

Tiger King

Based off the infamous Netflix series chronicling the life of Joe Exotic. Plus, Burrow plays for the Bengals.

Smokin’ Joe

Burrow is famously known for his love of a cigar after a victory (his dad is known for this as well). While most often the name “Smokin’ Joe” refers to boxer Joe Frazier, it might not be long until the most-known “Smokin’ Joe” has the last name Burrow.

Jackpot Joey

The Bengals hit the jackpot with their selection of Burrow back in 2020. This was cemented in Cincinnati’s upset over the Chiefs in Week 17 of the 2021 season.

Joe Chill

Like “Joe Cool,” this nickname centers around Burrow’s level-headedness. However, it can also refer to the Joe Chill character who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents in the “Batman” comic series, the same way that the quarterback takes down other teams.