Bengals QB Joe Burrow sets ballpark on recovery timeline for resuming full-fledged offseason activities
Joe Burrow has been out of action since Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season, and there’s still no definite timetable regarding his return. The 2021 Comeback Player of the Year winner shared a tentative timeline for his recovery with ESPN’s Ben Baby:
“I think middle of May is when I am expecting to kind of be cleared for full contact and everything. Over the next month [to] month and a half, we'll kind of decide all those things.”
While his May 2024 estimate isn’t definitive, Cincinnati Bengals fans will be happy to hear he’s making significant progress. Burrow added:
“I can lift basically normally now, which I’m excited about. So, the next two months, I’ll basically be just doing what I’ve done for the last couple of years. Just the 12 weeks of extra work in the rearview.”
Injuries are nothing new to Burrow. After the Bengals made him the first overall pick in 2020, his rookie season abruptly ended as he suffered ACL and MCL tears in his right knee. The AFC North team placed him on injured reserve, and he underwent surgery after playing 10 games that year.
Joe Burrow underwent an appendectomy during the 2022 offseason. A year later, he suffered a right calf strain during training camp after rolling out of the pocket to his right. While he was ready to roll by opening week, his wrist injury limited him to 10 games.
The Bengals received plenty of criticism after not disclosing Burrow’s injury before their Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens. They downplayed eagle-eyed NFL reporters and fans, who noticed a cast around his wrist while traveling to Charm City.
However, he was caught on camera wincing in pain after attempting a throw on their sideline. That clip made legendary sportscaster Al Michaels sound the alarm bells, sensing something was wrong.
Jake Browning filled in admirably for the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. However, the Bengals fell short of the playoffs with a 9-8 record.
Through four NFL seasons, Joe Burrow has a 68 percent completion percentage for 14,083 yards and 97 touchdowns. The former Ohio State and LSU standout has 10 rushing touchdowns from 605 yards.
Aside from his CBPOY Award, he is a 2022 Pro Bowler and the 2021 completion percentage leader at 70.4.
Joe Burrow agreed to a well-deserved contract extension
After a solid 2022 campaign and leading the Bengals to Super Bowl 56, Joe Burrow earned a five-year, $275 million contract extension from Cincinnati. That deal makes him the highest-paid quarterback in terms of annual average salary ($55 million).
Both sides agreed to this agreement two weeks after Justin Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Spotrac reveals that Burrow’s extension includes $219 million in guaranteed money and a $40 million signing bonus. He will earn a $10,714,000 base salary and an $11 million option bonus in 2024 while having a $29.7 million cap hit.