![Joe Burrow]()
On behalf of all of Who Dey Nation, somebody needs to tell Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown to work on his timing. Where was this energy in Week 1 when it could've truly helped, Mike!?
Joe Burrow was gutting his way through a calf injury early on in the 2023 NFL season, leading to poor play and yet another sluggish start by the Bengals. It mirrored their 2022 campaign, when they dug themselves a 0-2 hole while Joe Brrr shook off the rust from an exploded appendix. As the future of the franchise hobbled around and did his best to lead the team, Week 3 was a must-win against the Los Angeles Rams on
Monday Night Football.
In addition to the need to avoid a 0-3 start, it was a chance for Cincinnati to avenge its loss to the Rams in the Super Bowl. Burrow wasn't about to concede defeat. With training camps opening — and
the Chiefs regrettably looking to be in midseason form already — Bengals owner Mike Brown shared how he advised his superstar quarterback, freshly rewarded with a massive new contract, to sit out. Upon informing Burrow that he wasn't going to play, the steely field general simply shrugged off the message.
"In that particular moment, I overstepped and did a dumb thing. I was convinced he shouldn't play, and he looked like he wanted to play in that game. I went out there to tell him he wasn't going to play.
I was going to make sure he wasn't going to play… whereupon he played. So that that's all that happened. I still feel a little bit shamefaced about it."
https://twitter.com/calebnoetv/status/1815469603104927946
Nice to see Brown be so self-effacing and somewhat in touch with the 21st century of American football. Trust me, that hasn't historically been the case.
Burrow proceeded to take the field for that prime-time tilt, threw for 259 yards, and led the Bengals to a 19-16 victory that saved their season at the time. An ugly 27-3 loss to the Titans followed, yet Burrow finally looked like himself thereafter. Dude went on an absolute tear.
https://twitter.com/willie_lutz/status/1718771731580498387
https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1721918321182814685
In an alternate universe where
now-ex-Bengal Tyler Boyd catches the ball in big spots, the Bengals would've ridden a five-game winning streak into their Week 11 Thursday night duel with the AFC North rival Ravens. That's where
Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist, ending his season early and dashing Cincinnati's playoff hopes, although they finished a respectable 9-8 with Jake Browning under center.
Suffice it to say, it takes a lot for Burrow to leave the field. So far he's been blessed with a somewhat normal offseason, no real major injuries to speak of, and as of Monday, was cleared for full contact.
https://twitter.com/KelseyLConway/status/1815410179548348598
You love to see it. And this story from Brown just goes to show how worthy Burrow is to be the torch bearer for the Bengals organization, as he tries to deliver their first Super Bowl win ever. The past two years he's been healthy, Burrow has gotten Cincinnati to the AFC Championship Game twice in Kansas City, and to the next game once. Bodes well for the future.
