A devastating injury situation struck the Cincinnati Bengals early in this season, as they lost starting quarterback Joe Burrow for a considerable amount of time. Burrow, who led the team to the Super Bowl several seasons ago, suffered a brutal toe injury and significant ligament damage during a game, resulting in surgery and now recovery for weeks.
Burrow has suffered other injury setbacks in his career. During his rookie season in 2020, Burrow sustained a left knee injury, tearing his ACL and MCL. That happened in Week 11, ending his brilliant rookie season prematurely, and Burrow needed surgery for the damage to his knee.
While he bounced back to lead his team to the Super Bowl the following season, he then suffered a wrist injury in his third season as a pro. That also occurred in Week 11 and sidelined Burrow for the rest of the 2023 season.
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While he’s dealt with injuries and the recovery process before, it is likely frustrating when it happens multiple times. However, he’s got plenty of people rooting for a triumphant return from his latest injury, including a former Super Bowl winner.
Ahead of Cincinnati’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Andrew Whitworth spoke on the Bengals Booth Podcast. Whitworth, who won the Super Bowl as an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. He now works as one of Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” analysts.
Whitworth explained he reached out to Burrow already and plans to spend time with him and his family this offseason, indicating “couldn’t be a bigger fan of” the Bengals star.
“And so all I want for that kid is to be successful because of his mindset and how rare he is as a human being. You know, so I completely get it. I mean, it was heartbreaking, and you know, I reached out to him,” Whitworth said on the Bengals Booth Podcast.
According to Whitworth, “the game you love is the game you hate sometimes,” explaining that when injuries hit a player, the key is to “stay resilient.”
“I think that’s part of this game too, is that ability to keep running into that wall regardless of the situation and circumstance,” Whitworth said.
“And so for Joe, I just want him to know how much he means to the franchise and to everyone else, and how much we think of him, regardless of the football player he is. We love the human being,” the former Rams star said.
In late September, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that Burrow faced a “three-month absence” due to his “Grade 3 turf toe injury.” If that holds up, it could mean Burrow is back late in the season for a potential push to the playoffs.
The team acquired veteran quarterback and former Super Bowl winner Joe Flacco in a trade with the Cleveland Browns, giving them a capable starter while Burrow recovers.
If the team continues to struggle in his absence, the Bengals could keep Burrow out for the remainder of this season to ensure their franchise quarterback is entirely healthy for the next season.
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