The Joe Cool personality that so many have come to expect from Joe Burrow was not on the stage of the PlayStation Theater on Saturday night, as the senior LSU quarterback accepted his 2019 Heisman Trophy. He was not the even-keeled leader off the field, nor the self-described monster between the hashes, dispassionately dissecting defenses.
With every person Burrow thanked in his speech, he had to collect himself, holding back tears.
To most, the Heisman is a moment of validity to the winner. This year, that stamp of validation went beyond just the recipient. For Burrow, it was a validation of his team.