Tiny Ohio town bursting with pride over local hero Burrow

By MITCH STACY
AP Sports Writer

THE PLAINS, Ohio (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has become a near-mythological figure in his tiny hometown of The Plains in southeastern Ohio. The 25-year-old star might belong to the masses as the Super Bowl nears but he has been a galvanizing force for good in the beleaguered village near Athens, Ohio. He’s given residents something to be happy about and an identity they can take pride in. The pride became about more than football prowess when he talked about poverty in the region in his Heisman Trophy speech. That turned into a hunger-relief effort that has brought in $1.5 million in donations.