After Bengals running back Joe Mixon officially signed his four-year contract extension worth $48 million, he had high praise for rookie quarterback Joe Burrow.

Mixon feels so good about the team’s future under Burrow that he hopes to finish his career in Cincinnati with the top pick in the 2020 draft.

“I really don’t think he’s your typical rookie,” Mixon said Wednesday. “He’s definitely going to be a great guy here in this league for years to come, and I hope I can finish my career here with him.”

Mixon sealed his immediate future on Wednesday when he signed the extension that will keep him in Cincinnati until 2024.

As of Wednesday, Mixon is the only player the Bengals have under contract for 2024, even tentatively. If the Bengals pick up Burrow’s fifth-year rookie option, he will join Mixon.

At the end of last season, Mixon said he wanted to be a “Bengal for life” after a strong start to his career. On Wednesday, Mixon said loyalty was a main reason he wanted to stay in Cincinnati.

“I really didn’t want to go anywhere,” Mixon said. “I love our fans; I love my teammates; and upstairs, they definitely value me in a way that a lot of people won’t. Like I said, I wanted to show my loyalty here and finish my career here. Hopefully in a few years I’ll be able to have another [contract].”

The running back has been among the most productive in the NFL in recent years. Since the start of the 2018 season, Mixon is seventh among NFL running backs in total rushing yards (2,305), according to ESPN Stats & Information data.

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