Joe Burrow‘s tumultuous 2023 season has come to a premature end.
Zac Taylor, head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, announced on Friday that their quarterback will be sidelined for the rest of the 2023 season due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. An MRI has confirmed the injury, and surgery will probably be necessary, according to Taylor.
Burrow suffered the injury in the first half of Thursday night’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens, leaving the contest after throwing a touchdown pass to running back Joe Mixon to give Cincinnati a 10-7 lead. He attempted to test the injury by throwing on the sideline, but was visibly frustrated when he realized he couldn’t throw without pain.
“On the play preceding the incident, I slightly injured my wrist. On the next play, while throwing the touchdown pass, I felt a pop,” Burrow explained on Friday. “I attempted to continue playing, but I just wasn’t able to. I received the medical report today, which unfortunately wasn’t good news.”
Burrow also stated that the injury which concluded his season was unrelated to what was presumed to be a brace on his right wrist before Thursday night’s game.
Burrow stated, “It’s quite common for men to sport compression sleeves on a flight as the altitude can cause swelling. In football, numerous bumps and bruises are typical. However, this is a completely fresh injury.”
On Friday, Tom Pelissero, an insider at the NFL Network, reported that the NFL is investigating why Burrow didn’t appear on the injury report. This is a standard procedure when it comes to adhering to the league’s injury report policy.
Burrow’s injury brings an early finish to a season that began in similar fashion. Burrow labored through an injured calf, which limited his athletic abilities and he struggled accordingly amid a 1-3 start to the season. Burrow returned to form in Week 5, dominating the Arizona Cardinals in a fashion that was very familiar to those who have come to enjoy watching him play in the NFL.
The Bengals, after fighting their way back to a 5-4 record with four consecutive victories before their Week 10 defeat to Houston, seemed to be on track for a surge in the second half. However, as Cincinnati was trying to overcome the Ravens and make their way into the closely contested AFC North race, Burrow’s season abruptly came to a halt.
The performance of Burrow for the 2023 season didn’t quite match his usual standard of play: completing 244 out of 365 passes, gaining 2,309 yards, scoring 15 touchdowns, and throwing six interceptions. However, it’s worth noting that he was dealing with several injuries throughout the season, which may warrant an asterisk.
Jake Browning remains as Cincinnati’s best option going forward.
The Bengals’ backup QB completed 8 of 14 passes for 68 yards and an inconsequential touchdown to Ja'Marr Chase in the final two minutes of a double-digit loss. The former University of Washington standout has appeared in just two games in his NFL career, but will be tasked with carrying the Bengals (5-5) through the end of the season.
“Seeing your starting quarterback, who is as talented as Joe Burrow, go down is tough,” Taylor stated on Friday. “However, I’m proud of the team’s response and their conduct today. This extended weekend is beneficial for us; it provides an opportunity to regroup, heal, and prepare to take on Pittsburgh next week. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen from the team. We have a lot of talent in our roster and the season is far from over,” he added.
Of course, the timing for the Bengals couldn’t be more unfortunate. This comes just as their season was beginning to show promise, and right after Burrow signed the most lucrative contract extension in NFL history, guaranteeing him $275 million. Now, he’s set to spend the next few months rehabilitating and observing his Bengals teammates as they strive to hold their own without him.
