Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is serious when he said he doesn't want Joe Burrow playing in Week 1 of the 2023 regular season.

Burrow is currently sidelined after sustaining a calf injury during training camp. While there is no specific timeline for his return, with head coach Zac Taylor only indicating he's out for “several weeks,” expectations are high that he'll be ready for Week 1 in September.

Chase, however, recently urged Burrow to not rush his return and make sure that he's 100 percent healthy when he steps back on the field. If that means he needs to miss the whole preseason and the start of the new campaign, the Pro Bowl wideout has no problem with it.

The 23-year-old doubled down on his take and clarified his stance, highlighting that he simply doesn't want his teammate to risk reinjuring himself if he rushes his return.

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“I just want him to be 100 percent. I want him to be healthy,” Chase said when asked if he really mean to say for Burrow not to play in Week 1, adding that he's not telling him not to play but rather to make sure he's at his best before he returns. The Bengals star added that he doesn't want his quarterback to even play in the preseason so he can focus on recovering to full health.

Obviously, while some might misinterpret what he's saying, Ja'Marr Chase means well for Joe Burrow. Sure enough, the Bengals understand that as well since they need to be cautious of their star QB's condition.

If Burrow rushes his return and then gets injured, it might prove to be costlier for the franchise. As Chase said, if Burrow ends up needing another week or two to recover when the season starts, then so be it.