Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals attempts a pass against the Cleveland Browns (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
There are few legends at LSU – or in basketball history for that matter – that match the pure stature and legacy of Shaquille O’Neal, best known simply as “Shaq.”
He’s very much stayed involved in the LSU community long after he departed Baton Rouge, maintaining connections with other great current and former Tiger athletes, including current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
Burrow has made one of the smoothest transitions to the NFL since he became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Despite being on a struggling team that needs help namely within the offensive line, Burrow’s individual talent has shown through.
And it is precisely the reason he is now in the MVP race. The odds are somewhat against him because he, unlike Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, did not have his team make it into the postseason. That tends to overshadow things, and there have been very few times that a player whose team did not make the postseason were named the NFL MVP.
Regardless, Burrow has Shaq’s full endorsement. In fact, when he is at full capacity, he is paralleled by none in the eyes of O’Neal.
“Every time he steps on the field, and he’s playing well, he’s definitely considered the best,” O’Neal said in an exclusive interview with RG. “If he’s in the conversation, he has a chance to win.”
But Burrow is not the only former LSU quarterback who has found success. Just like Burrow, Jayden Daniels is also a quarterback who took the Heisman Trophy back home to LSU.
And, also just like Burrow, Daniels has had a smooth transition to the NFL with multiple honors under his belt that are highly award-worthy. The Arizona State transfer has a very real chance of going all the way this season as he’s completed 69% of his passes for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and 9 interceptions to this point in the season.
He has also been a force on the ground, well-known for his true dual-threat ability. While there are several quarterbacks with physical tools, mobility and a strong degree of escapability in the modern era, few are able to pair it with a strong passing ability.
Daniels can, and has carried the ball 148 times for 891 yards with 6 touchdowns on the ground.
“I have also been paying a ton of attention to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. That was a major turnaround,” O’Neal said.
He likes Washington’s odds to win the big game as the Commanders continue on through the postseason, with their next matchup coming against the Detroit Lions on Jan. 18.
“I think they have a strong chance of making it to the Super Bowl,” O’Neal continued. “For him to win the Heisman, play in the state of Louisiana, and then come into this first year of his NFL career with a chance to win a Super Bowl, I think that is huge for him.”
Shaq Names Greatest LSU Men’s Basketball Player
Many think of Shaquille O’Neal as the greatest LSU basketball player of all time. But he isn’t giving that title to himself.
Rather, he has pinned Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf as the greatest Tiger to ever take the hardwood. Abdul-Rauf played at LSU from 1998 to 1990, and was selected at third overall in 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
“I would have to go with Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. He would be number one” O’Neal said.
Now, O’Neal isn’t afraid to say he’s in contention for the second-best LSU player of all-time. And, let’s be honest, he’s probably more humble than he should be in not placing himself at the very top of the list, because a lot of fans and analysts would not hesitate to give Shaq the title.
“Two is either myself or Ricky Blanton. I’m just fortunate enough to have my name mentioned in it. Baton Rouge, that was a place where I developed the character known as Shaq,” O’Neal said.
“And then to be able to walk into the Tiger Dome and see my jersey retired is great. But Aubdul-Rauf was always someone I watched closely who was great. Greater than me. That title definitely goes to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.”
In his time at LSU, Abdul-Rauf was consensus All-American in each season he played. After becoming a bit of a journeyman player professionally who saw time in multiple different leagues, he ultimately retired in 201.
Abdul-Rauf’s last stop with the Kyoto Hannaryz.
Shaq Plays DJ at the Cotton Bowl
Shaq’s playing days are far behind him at this point, but make no mistake about it, he’s still just as a big of a part of the sports scene as he once was. Some would dare to say to an even larger extent now that he’s retired.
In one of his latest stops to a game, O’Neal served as the DJ at the Cotton Bowl matchup in Arlington, Texas between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
“[The Cotton Bowl] was fun. Especially with the going back and forth [of the score],” O’Neal said.
As a Texas native, O’Neal was a bit surprised at how much the Buckeyes fans seemed to outnumber the Longhorns fans. Given how close the game was in proximity to Austin as compared to Columbus, some almost viewed this as a home game for Texas.
It was anything but that, though.
Even though his Longhorns did get beat, 28-14, by the Buckeyes, Shaq says he still had a good time and feels he got the job done with consideration to the diverse audience.
“It was a great experience. And it’s not often that I DJ, but I do have the ability. I kept it nice and [kid-friendly], just trying to get the people pumped up before the game.”
He’ll be among those hoping to Texas to run it back with a chance to make the national title game after falling just one victory short for the past two seasons.
“I would have liked to have seen Texas win,” O’Neal said. “You know, being from San Antonio. And I had been thinking about going to the University of Texas when I was in high school. I thought about it briefly before I decided to go to LSU. But Ohio State was just a little too strong for them.”
It will be interesting to see how the cookie crumbles in 2025, with Texas largely the odds-on favorite in the way-too-early projections to win it all.
Crissy Froyd is a sports reporter of over 10 years who specializes in quarterback analysis at the high school, college and NFL level. She was mentored by Mike Leach and learned the Air Raid offense and quarterback evaluation largely under the legendary head coach. Froyd has appeared in and worked with multiple publications, including USA TODAY SMG, Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and Saturday Down South. She also covers canine journalism for Showsight Magazine and resides in Wisconsin with her three dogs -- two German Shepherds named Faxon and Bo Nix, and one Siberian Husky named Stetson "Balto" Bennett.
