With NFL opening week finally here, perhaps the biggest question was the availability of Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow. After suffering an injury during camp, his status remained up in the air for quite some time.
However, following comments from head coach Zac Taylor, Burrow himself has now confirmed he is good to go for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
“I’m ready to go. I’m expecting to play.”
After suffering the injury during camp in July, questions remained on whether or not he would be ready for the opener, so this update is certainly huge news for the Bengals and their fans.
All offseason long, Burrow has been in the headlines as he awaits a new contract with the Bengals. Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts all got paid handsomely this offseason, and Burrow is the next young signal-caller to get a big payday.
However, with Week 1 around the corner, no deal has materialized just yet. Nonetheless, the Bengals have all of the pieces lined up to make a run in the AFC and try to return to the Super Bowl.
It won't be easy with teams such as the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs all arguably in the way, but having Burrow healthy is a massive boost ahead of the season opener. So, officially, it will be Joe Burrow and the Bengals against Deshaun Watson and the browns in an AFC North battle in Week 1.
Get your popcorn ready.