As the annual round of gift-giving from quarterbacks to their locker room takes place across the NFL, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has gifted his offensive line authentic Japanese katana swords for Christmas, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Not only did Burrow give each of his offensive lineman one of Japan’s most famous swords, but he also took the extra step towards making the gift as authentic as possible.
Each katana gifted by Burrow is reportedly unique, having either come from a certain town or been used in a certain battle. The gift also taps into history, as katanas were often gifted between daimyo and samurai during the Edo period of Japan. Katanas are most often associated with samurai, and are regarded as among the very finest cutting weapons in the world.
“Joe does a great job at buying gifts that are extremely meaningful,” Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown said. “The fact that he bought me a sword, it’s the most ancient form of respect.”
While katanas are most often associated with the Edo period (1603-1868), the history of the single-edged sword goes as far back as the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when the term was first used to describe a long sword distinct from the tachi, which had previously been the Japanese’s sword of choice. The oldest surviving katana in existence — the Hishizukuri uchigatana — dates back to the Nanbokucho period (1336-1392).
Although history has moved well past feudal Japan and the age of samurai, and Joe Burrow has little in common with Tokugawa Ieyasu or any other shogun of the period, his gift of katanas will nonetheless foster gratitude among his linemen at a critical point in the NFL season. With three games to go in the regular season, the Bengals are 6-8 and clinging to their playoff hopes ahead of an AFC North showdown against the Browns in Week 16.
