Now that Super Bowl LVI is over and done with, it’s time to check out the winners and losers of the biggest football game in the world. While some predicted the outcome of this year’s Bowl, it was a close and dramatic showdown where upstart Joe Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals to their first game in 30 years.
Today we’re taking a closer look at Joe Mixon, a running back for the Bengals who caused a stir after throwing a touchdown during the game. He was also benched during certain crucial moments that had fans questioning their sanity.
Before we explore Mixon’s year, remember that the draft is almost here. If you want to bet on the athletes involved, check out NFL draft odds.
Joe Mixon’s 2021
2021 was Joe Mixon’s fifth year in the NFL, which he has spent with the Bengals for the entire time. Mixon played most games in the season this year, so here are some of the highlights:
He got off to a strong start in Week 1, where he registered 127 rushing yards and 1 touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
Midway through the season, he made 127 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The next game, he registered a season personal best with 165 rushing yards and another 2 touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His performance for the rest of the season meandered, though it was clear that Mixon was effective at scoring touchdowns as an RB. Keep that in the back of your head.
Then, at the start of January 2022, Mixon missed the end of the season due to COVID-19. Despite this small interruption, Mixon’s 2021 season was his best. He rushed a career-high of 1,205 yards with 13 touchdowns, alongside 42 receptions for 314 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns.
As we said, Mixon is effective at the touchdown game, becoming the best rushing TD-scorer in the Bengals since the late ‘80s.
Then came the postseason. Once again, Mixon and the Bengals took the Raiders down before beating the Tennessee Titans and then the Kansas City Chiefs to become AFC champs. Mixon scored another TD against the Titans and rushed 88 yards against the Chiefs.
With Burrow at the helm, the team was hungry for a Super Bowl win, but stealing it from the Los Angeles Rams was a tall order.
Mixon At The Super Bowl
Then we get to Mixon at the Super Bowl, where Mixon made 72 rushing yards on 15 carries and 5 receptions. The most memorable play by Mixon came halfway through the game.
Down 14-3, QB Joe Burrow passed the ball to Mixon. It looked like a pitch run, which was exactly what the Rams thought too. Mixon then faked the Rams’ defense and threw to the end zone. There, wide receiver Tee Higgins was waiting with virtually nobody covering him, scoring a touchdown.
At that moment, Mixon became a permanent fixture in Super Bowl history. He was the second RB to throw a TD in the Super Bowl. What’s more, he was the fifth non-quarterback to throw a TD in a Super Bowl game, too.
Towards the end of the game, which the Bengals lost at 23-20, they swapped Mixon out with veteran RB Samaje Perine. This proved a controversial decision for some, though we just don’t know if Mixon would have made a difference.
Conclusion
So, that’s why there has been chatter about Joe Mixon lately. By most metrics, he proved himself to be a satisfactory RB who can pull a surprise TD or two from his pockets, proving himself invaluable during the Bowl.
There’s no bad blood between him and Perine or the rest of the Bengals. Instead, the franchise needs to lick its wounds and try again next year, even hungrier than they were this year. If they can make it next year, they could easily carry the next Bowl.
