Joe Burrow injury update: Bengals HC Zac Taylor provides clarity on QB’s status
Joe Burrow has quickly established himself among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. He has helped the Cincinnati Bengals make the AFC Championship game in each of the past two seasons while being among the favorites to win the NFL MVP award.
It's understandable why Burrow and the Bengals entered training camp ahead of the 2023 NFL season with sky-high expectations. However, they suffered a major scare in the early days of camp when the superstar quarterback went down with a calf injury.
The Bengals have been relatively tight-lipped about the severity of the injury, as well as Joe Burrow's potential status for Week 1 of the regular season.
Head coach Zac Taylor recently appeared on an episode of the "Pat McAfee Show" to give a highly-anticipated update on the injury:
"I feel good about the progress he's making right now, that's what you're getting out of me."
While Taylor stuck with the Bengals' trend of remaining as vague as possible about the severity of Burrow's injury, at least he didn't deliver any bad news.
The ultimate goal for the Bengals is to have the quarterback fully healthy for their first game of the 2023 NFL season. They take on AFC North rivals in the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
Joe Burrow's injury history
While Joe Burrow has only been with the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons, he has already developed a concerning injury history.
It started during his rookie year in the 2020 NFL season when he tore his ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus in his left knee in Week 11. He was placed on the injured reserve list, ending his promising rookie campaign earlier than planned.
Over the next two years, Burrow suffered various injuries, including a knee strain, MCL sprain, and dislocated finger. He displayed toughness by avoiding missing extended time, helping the Bengals make a Super Bowl appearance and two Conference Championship games during that stretch.
Joe Burrow's calf strain can now be added to his relatively long list of injuries, considering his short time in the NFL. It's yet to be seen if the new injury from training camp will result in any missed games during the 2023 NFL season.
For now, he's not expected to play during the preseason, but many quarterbacks choose to sit out the exhibitions during this time of the year anyway.