Tiny Ohio town bursting with pride over local hero Burrow

A banner stretched across Court Street in uptown Athens, Ohio, recognizes Joe Burrow's ascension from Athens High School star to Super Bowl quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. Burrow, who grew up in the nearby village of The Plains, will lead the Bengals against the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl on Sunday. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)

Sam Smathers holds a photo of Joe Burrow on the porch of his home across the street from the Athens High School football stadium Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in The Plains, Ohio. The stadium is now named in Burrow's honor. Burrow grew up in the village near Athens, Ohio, and played for Smathers on a youth football team before going on to star at the high school and win the Heisman Trophy at LSU. Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are scheduled to play the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL football Super Bowl on Sunday. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)

A sign along Route 682 in The Plains Ohio, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, proclaims support for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who grew up there. Burrow played at nearby Athens High School. The quarterback is scheduled to lead the Bengals against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL football Super Bowl on Sunday. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)

A roadside sign at the village limits of The Plains, Ohio, recognizes Joe Burrow as the winner of the 2019 Heisman Trophy, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. Burrow grew up in the village near Athens, Ohio. The other sign points to where he played football at Athens High School. He'll be the quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, who are schedule to face the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL football Super Bowl on Sunday. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)

Handmade signs depicting the No. 9 uniform number of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow decorate streetlight poles in uptown Athens, Ohio, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, near where Burrow grew up and played high school football. He will be the Bengals' quarterback in the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams, scheduled for Sunday. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)