The Cincinnati Bengals have announced that their star quarterback, Joe Burrow, will miss the rest of the 2023 season due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. Head coach Zac Taylor shared this news on Friday afternoon, revealing that Burrow will likely require surgery. Despite the loss of their Pro Bowl quarterback, who previously led the Bengals to the Super Bowl, Taylor remains optimistic about the team’s prospects.
“This season is far from over,” Taylor remarked, referring to the Bengals’ current 5-5 record. Burrow sustained the injury during Cincinnati’s 34-20 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. With Burrow out, the Bengals are expected to rely on backup quarterback Jake Browning, who performed solidly in his first substantial NFL appearance, completing 8-of-14 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens.
Burrow expressed his frustration with the injury, saying, “It’s tough. You work so hard for seasons and moments like these. Whenever you get hurt and it ends early, it’s tough to handle. That’s a part of the game.” He noted that he felt “a pop” in his wrist while throwing the ball on the play where he was injured.
On the same day, the Associated Press reported that the NFL is reviewing how the Bengals managed Burrow’s injury status before the game. A video showing Burrow with his right hand in a soft cast was posted and later removed from social media, prompting the investigation. The NFL routinely checks into such situations, and teams can face fines or lose draft picks for breaching the injury report policy.
Burrow, who had previously been managing a calf injury this season without missing any games, was 11-of-17 for 101 yards and a touchdown before his departure from the game. This latest injury is particularly disheartening for the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, who also had his rookie season cut short by a knee injury.
The Bengals are not alone in facing quarterback troubles; their AFC North rivals, the Cleveland Browns, have also lost their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, who requires season-ending shoulder surgery.
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