The Cincinnati Bengals franchise quarterback Joe Burrow has been through two devasting injuries in his four years as the signal-caller. His work ethic is unparalleled by all accounts and this blessing also seems to be a curse regarding pushing too hard through discomfort. The truth is; that the front office, coaches, players, and everyone around the league know how tough he is. The real question is, can he change his mindset to be more transparent when he needs more rest? The Bengals and Burrow are working on this dialog in hopes that number nine is ready for the long haul of a 17-game season in the toughest division in football and hopefully much more.
Cincinnati Bengals Beat: Joe Burrow’s Lessons Learned
Fight Another Day
Bengals fans were concerned last season when training camp started and Burrow appeared with a sleeve on his calf. The next day, disaster struck and he had to be carted off the field in what was determined to be a severe strain. Burrow dealt with the injury off and on for the first six weeks of the season and was fighting through obvious pain at times. Sometimes you have to save the players from themselves, especially in a sport that is as rugged as the NFL. This important lesson had ripple effects for both the team and the quarterback that hopefully will pay dividends for the rest of Burrow’s career in Cincinnati.
Rest is Best
Since the moment Burrow’s season was cut short against the Baltimore Ravens, the wheels were in motion to plan differently for 2024. The Bengals couldn’t afford to keep going down this road for a player who is only 27 years old. While both injuries weren’t his fault, Burrow has to be honest in reevaluating expectations by scaling back reps and adding more rest days to his schedule. Burrow seems to truly understand this as he ponders his football expiration date when he recently stated, “Whenever the injuries start to stack up your football mortality kind of comes into the back of your mind. So, that’s definitely something I’ve thought about and something I have had to fight through.”
Rise and Grind
Burrow by nature is a football junkie and grinder at heart. He craves consistency and feeds off the mundane tasks that keep some quarterbacks from taking their game to the next level. This final lesson might be the most important in keeping his body fresh when the games matter most. He pondered this by asking a question in a recent press conference.”How you can come back an improved player when maybe you aren’t getting the reps you had because of your injuries? It’s always a challenge, it always is. But I’m built for it. Our team is built for it and people that I have surrounded myself with have been through it with me as well. I’m excited about the season.”
Burrow is right, he’s certainly built for this, and the Bengals and the entire city of Cincinnati can’t wait to see what the final product looks like.
Main Photo: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK
