While Joe Burrow continues to work to bring a Lombardi Trophy to the Cincinnati Bengals, the star quarterback has decided to step back from his commitment to his other sporting franchise in the Queen City. Since his arrival in Cincy, Burrow and his family have worked towards giving back to the community through various ventures outside football. However, on Tuesday, the Burrows have exited as owners of a budding sports franchise in the City.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to the previous group of investors, including the Burrow family, for their vision and dedication to the Columbus Fury,” the Burrow family-owned Major League Volleyball team said in a statement. “Their efforts laid a strong foundation for professional volleyball in Columbus and helped bring this vision to life. We are grateful for their contributions to the organization and the Central Ohio community.”

Joe Burrow and his parents, Jimmy and Robin, purchased an ownership stake in the Columbus Fury as founding partners of the Pro Volleyball Federation in November 2023. However, throughout the Burrow family’s ownership, the Fury struggled to find success, finishing the 2025 season with a 9-19 record after its inaugural season record of 8-16.

The Columbus-based franchise had a combined record of 21-49 in three years (two in the Pro Volleyball Federation and one in Major League Volleyball). As for the current MVL season, the Fury are en route to a third consecutive losing season, posting a 4-14 record heading into the MVL All-Star break.

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Now, after the Burrow family, married couple Andrea Mitchell and Andy Sandler acquired the team as 100% owners of the franchise. As stated in the release, Mitchell, a financial services attorney, serves as the managing partner of Mitchell Sandler PLLC. Alongside the Fury, Sandler is also part of the new ownership group of the Tampa Bay Rays while owning minor league baseball teams such as the Greensboro Grasshoppers, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, and the Lexington Legends.

While Joe Burrow parts ways with the Columbus Fury, there have been rumors about the star quarterback’s possible trade out of Cincinnati to an AFC North arch-rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. This speculation stems from a comment by Steelers legend James Harrison, who faced an immediate backlash from a few Bengals icons.

Bengals legends call out James Harrison for Joe Burrow trade rumors

The NFL today is built on countless fierce rivalries that are built on years of animosity between two teams. However, no rivalry is as fierce as the one between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals. These AFC North rivals have been battling each other for years and share a passionate hatred.

Recently, fans were witness to the tension between the two franchises as Steelers legend James Harrison revealed his conversations with Joe Burrow about a possible trade to Pittsburgh. However, as the news broke, Cincinnati legends like Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson took to social media to call out Harrison for his comments.

“Don’t get f–ked up @jharrison9292 playing with my QB. #Respectfully, Johnson tweeted. While Jones shared a rant on social where he said, “Let me tell y’all something. I love Jay. I love Jay H. There isn’t any question about it. But man, stop doing that sh–t, man. You know what it is over here. It’s orange and black, not shitty and black. I’m going to say that, and I’m going to leave it at that.”

While Joe Burrow has sold his ownership stake in the Columbus Fury, these Bengals legends will ensure that their star quarterback won’t be leaving Cincinnati any time soon, especially for the Pittsburgh Steelers.