Joe Burrow: ‘It’s tough,’ Bengals star says of season-ending injury

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Joe Burrow’s 2023-24 season is done.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced Friday that an MRI on the franchise star revealed a torn ligament in his right wrist.

“Surgery is likely,” Burrow said about what he’s found and been told about how to treat the injury.

For the second time in his career, Burrow’s season is cut short due to an injury. He tore his ACL/MCL during his rookie season.

The work that goes into getting ready for each year is a long and hard process. Even in the season, the work never stops.

Burrow acknowledged the long grind players go through, and for it to come to an abrupt end is “tough,” he said.

He knows injuries are part of the game.

“This is part of the job we do,” Burrow said at the podium while wearing a brace over his right hand/wrist. “This won’t be the last time this happens. You almost expect it [playing in the NFL].”

The injury happened early in Thursday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, Taylor said in his postgame press conference on Thursday.

Taylor clarified Friday that the injury occurred on the play in which Burrow landed on his wrist following a tackle by Ravens’ defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

On the next play, the touchdown pass to Joe Mixon, Burrow said, “I felt a pop.”

Amazon showed video of Burrow on the sideline trying to throw the ball.

The hearts of Bengals fans in Cincinnati and across the country dropped as they saw their franchise quarterback in visible pain, unable to make a throw on the sideline.

He ran to the locker room and would not return to the game.

There has been speculation Burrow was injured before the game started Thursday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported early Friday that the NFL is investigating to determine if the injury happened before the game. If the injury preceded the game, the Bengals would be in violation of the league’s injury report policy.

Coach Taylor said in the Friday press conference the league has not contacted him about the injury report.

He explained the wrap seen on Burrow’s hand as the team got off the plane Wednesday is “totally unrelated” to the injury.

Burrow said it was a compression sleeve and it is common for guys to wear them on the plane.

With Burrow out of the game, backup Jake Browning stepped in to finish the game. Browning went 8 of 14 for 68 yards and a touchdown.

“Jake is going to play great,” Burrow said Friday as he voiced his full support for Browning.

So, where does Burrow go from here?

“Be present,” he explained. “Try to bring energy. I’ve always been a lead-by-example guy, but that’s not where I’m at right now. Try to boost morale any way that I can.”

Burrow’s head coach knows how mentally tough No. 9 is.

Taylor said Burrow is “built different” and if it were any other human being, there would be concerns about the toll a season-ending injury can have.

“If he were a normal human being, you’d worry about the mental and physical toll of season-ending injuries, but he’s different,” Taylor said of the 26-year-old star.

FOX19 NOW Sports Director Joe Danneman talked with Browning in the locker room following the news.

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