Joe Burrow's advice to young players: 'Work in silence,' not through social media

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield generated headlines late last month when he publicly announced he was stepping away from his personal social media accounts "for the foreseeable future" after he appeared to "like" at least one tweet questioning his ability to lead the Browns to playoff successes. 

Perhaps the first overall pick from the 2018 NFL Draft should listen to what a division counterpart had to say during Monday's Super Bowl media availability. 

Per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was asked what advice he would offer younger players looking to follow in his footsteps and one day compete on the NFL's biggest stage. 

"Focus on getting better," Burrow responded. "Don’t have a workout and post it on Instagram the next day and then go sit on your butt the next day and everyone thinks you’re working hard but you’re not. Work in silence. Don’t show anyone what you’re doing. Let your performance on Friday nights and Saturday nights and Sunday nights show all the hard work you put in. Don’t worry about all that social media stuff." 

Twitter, Instagram, and other outlets provide professional athletes with ways to interact with fans and participate in advertising campaigns but can also quickly turn "toxic" when on-the-field performances leave much to be desired. The Browns defeated the Bengals twice during the 2021 campaign, but it's Burrow and company preparing to face the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl while Mayfield and his Cleveland teammates are already involved in offseason activities.