NEW ORLEANS (WWL) — Watching quarterback Joe Burrow on the field makes it easy to forget that he's a college student, working toward a degree from Louisiana State University like the other 25,000 people enrolled there.
Well, no longer. Six days after Burrow was handed the Heisman Trophy, he walked across the stage to receive a master's degree from his university as well.
On Friday, Burrow joined nearly 2,000 of his fellow students in LSU's 300th commencement ceremony, where he was handed a master's degree in Liberal Arts in front of a cheering crowd.
"What a week for Joey Burrow," LSU's football accounted tweeted, with photos of Burrow holding both his diploma and the Heisman.
Burrow transferred to LSU as a graduate student after he graduated from Ohio State University in three years with a degree in consumer and family financial services in 2018.
Starting as a Tiger with two years of eligibility, Burrow shattered nearly every applicable passing record in LSU and Southeastern Conference history, earned every major individual award (namely the Heisman on Dec. 14) and led his team to a 14-0 season and a chance at a national title.
Now, he's a graduate of LSU, too.
The university graduated 1,986 students from 55 Louisiana parishes, 42 states and 39 other countries this semester. Burrow was one of 28 student-athletes in the ceremony, LSU officials said.
"A number of student-athletes from the No. 1 ranked LSU football team earned degrees during fall commencement including Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, Kristian Fulton, Lloyd Cushenberry, Zachary Von Rosenberg and Blake Ferguson," university officials said in a statement.
The day before he graduated, the Athens City School Board unanimously voted to change the name of Burrow's alma mater stadium at Athens High School in Ohio to "Joe Burrow Stadium."
The vote came as the board recognized their alumnus not only for his historic season at LSU so far -- breaking multiple conference records and leading the Tigers to a shot at the national title -- but for using his platform to help families in Southeast Ohio as well.
"When Joe Burrow was on the national stage giving his speech after receiving the Heisman, he chose not to speak about himself and his success but rather about our community and the challenges we face. Shortly thereafter, over $450,000 was raised for the Athens County Food Pantry," said school board member Sean Parsons in a post.
Parsons' praise was properly placed. On Dec. 14, Burrow stood on the stage of the PlayStation Theater in New York City to accept the Heisman, college football's highest individual honor, and gave a tear-jerking acceptance speech.
“Coming from southeast Ohio it’s a very impoverished area and the poverty rate is almost two times the national average," Burrow said. "There’s so many people there that don’t have a lot and I’m up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County that go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here, too."
