Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is done for the remainder of the season, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. He suffered a wrist injury in Thursday Night Football versus the Baltimore Ravens, and an MRI confirms there to be a torn ligament that will likely require surgery.
After months of battling through a calf strain and ultimately regaining his top form, this news is downright sickening for the football world. The Bengals, who dropped to 5-5 after a 34-20 loss to the Ravens, will turn to undrafted journeyman Jake Browning to man the QB duties for the time being.
Unfortunately, this is not the first demoralizing injury the 26-year-old has suffered in his young career. Burrow missed the last six games of his 2020 rookie season with a torn ACL and MCL. Up until now, he has gutted through any subsequent ailment. The silver lining, which fans will appreciate after this stinging heartbreak wears off, is that he should fully recover without any long-term complications.
Can the Bengals successfully move forward without Joe Burrow?
The apparent brace Burrow was seen wearing before Thursday's AFC North clash with Baltimore is unrelated to the wrist injury, per head coach Zac Taylor. He finishes the year with 2,309 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.
It goes without saying that the entire dynamic of Cincinnati's offense changes with the franchise quarterback being sidelined, but there are still valuable weapons on this team. A stout defense, effective rushing attack led by Joe Mixon and a healthy wide receiver tandem of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins (missed the last two games with hamstring injury) could help carry Browning through the NFL's toughest remaining schedule.
Admittedly, that all sounds like wishful thinking right now. Fans can only hope that Joe Burrow infuses his successor and the entire team with his trademark resilience and grit.
Follow Us
Subscribe