Joe Burrow's LSU legacy casts a long shadow and now even baseball stars feel it
Joe Burrow's legacy is so big at LSU, it's influencing baseball now - Credit : Cooper Neill/Getty
Once upon a time, Joe Burrow was just a transfer quarterback trying to find his fit. Then 2019 happened and suddenly, Joe Burrow wasn't just LSU's football hero, he became the blueprint for what greatness looks like in Baton Rouge.
Fast forward to 2025, and now even the baseball program can't escape his name.
Kade Anderson
didn't ask for Joe Burrow comparisons but here they are anyway
Kade Anderson, LSU's rising star on the mound, has talent. He's also got potential, confidence, and a high ceiling. What he didn't ask for? Comparisons to Paul Skenes
and
Joe Burrow.
Yet, that's exactly what's being thrown around.
According to a report, Anderson's camp is flattered but also feeling the pressure. It's not just about playing well anymore.
It's about living up to a legacy that seems impossible to match.
Top MLB Prospect Kade Anderson Flattered By Paul Skenes, Joe Burrow Comparisons | TMZ Sports
Burrow set the standard. Skenes followed with one of the most dominant pitching seasons college baseball's ever seen. Now, the spotlight's on Anderson and so is the weight of expectation.
Why Joe Burrow's shadow still stretches beyond football
What's wild is that Joe Burrow hasn't played at LSU in nearly five years. But he's still the measuring stick for greatness in that town.
It's not just because he won a Heisman.
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Undo
Or led LSU to a perfect season. It's that he became LSU on the field, in the locker room, and in the culture. The way he carried himself, the calm in chaos, the confidence without arrogance, it's now part of LSU's DNA.
And that DNA doesn't stay in football. It bleeds into baseball. Into basketball. Into any athlete trying to carve their name into Tiger lore.
For guys like Anderson, the pressure isn't just internal. It's baked into the headlines. Fans want to believe they're watching the
next Burrow
.
The next guy who'll explode, dominate, and lift LSU back to national glory.
But being compared to a program-defining legend can be exhausting. It turns growth into scrutiny. Every pitch gets magnified. Every stat becomes a story.
And Anderson? He just wants to write his own.
Kade Anderson has all the tools to be a star in his own right. But when you're at LSU, you're not just playing the game, you're chasing legacies. And like it or not, Joe Burrow's legacy is still the biggest name in the building.
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