Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been back in action the past two days, following his season-ending wrist surgery six months ago, and the franchise quarterback said all has gone well so far.
“Feel great,” Burrow said, repeating the phrase several times Tuesday in his first media session since participating in the team’s offseason workouts. “It’s good to be back.”
Bengals fans can now breathe a bit easier.
Taking the field on Monday, Burrow gave the Bengals’ social media team all the content it could handle, one 6-second throwing clip at a time. The reports from Bengals receivers were good, too, indicating that the zip has returned to Burrow’s throws.
And, so far at least, Burrow said he hasn’t had any setbacks or complications, even while experiencing some pain — although the QB declined to expound on that.
“Felt good the last two days,” Burrow said. “I never really know how it’s going to feel when I wake up the next morning, but I was encouraged by the last couple of days for sure.
“I think I’m fully cleared for everything other than contact right now. That’ll come in the next month probably. But there’s no rush; season doesn’t start for a while. So, we’re in a good spot.”
Burrow admitted that “the uncertainty” of the injury did give him pause during his road back to the field. After all, a quarterback’s throwing-arm wrist is his lifeline on the field.
“Whenever you have an injury to your throwing side, you’re never quite sure how it’s going to turn out at the end,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “But I’m in a good spot. I’m happy with where I’m at, and I’m going to continue to get better.”
One interesting measure Burrow has taken this offseason has been adding some body armor. He’s suffered a number of injuries over the years, including a few season-ending ailments, so it can’t hurt for Burrow — who looked bigger to the naked eye — to add muscle mass as a form of self-preservation.
“We’re bigger,” he said. “Definitely bigger. We’ll see where I’m at at the end of the offseason. I feel good about where my body is at right now. I’m going to continue to get stronger and bigger throughout the offseason and just kind of play it by ear depending on how I feel.
“I’m really strong. Bigger than I was. We’re going to continue to eat right, lift and go through my routine and see where I’m at.”
Burrow also admitted that he’s “flying blind” a bit in his rehab, considering that there have not been a ton of quarterbacks who have suffered this same injury, mostly offensive and defensive linemen, he said. Burrow is trying his best to stay limber and deal with any complications along the way as best he can.
“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “Have been throwing for about a month. Just like any offseason, you’re working through some rust. A little more this year than in years past.
“I’m still working through everything: footwork, arm path, the little intricacies of the throwing motion. That’s something that I’m working through every day and I’m going to continue to hone and improve at.”
The Bengals are clearly a better team with Burrow running the show. But they have issues outside of his rehab, including two star teammates — wide receiver Tee Higgins and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson – who have requested trades this offseason.
Having been through his own financial situation not long ago, prior to signing a long-term mega-extension last September, Burrow took a diplomatic approach when asked about his teammates’ business affairs, even while acknowledging the Bengals have a better chance to win with them than without.
“Those guys have their business that they need to take care of,” Burrow said. “I support them in every way. Both of those guys have earned everything that’s come to them, and more so I’ll support them all the way through it. Whatever they feel is the best for their career. That’s for them and their agents and families to decide.
“But we’re here to win football games. I really hope both of those guys are with us next year because we’re a better football team with both of them and they’re great locker room guys, too.”
Even through all the travails, setbacks and unknowns, Burrow said his motivation hasn’t changed. His desire to be great burns just as brightly as it did before.
“My why is always just continuing that drive for greatness,” Burrow said. “Continuing that drive every day trying to improve. I’m addicted to getting better. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting better because that makes the day to day really worth it.
“Once you start to see the results of the work that you’re putting in. There’s nothing like that. That’s really what I’m striving for every day.”
