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The Bengals got off to a shaky start when Joe Burrow made his grand return after a wrist injury cut his season short last year, and the QB brushed aside a video of him awkwardly grabbing a water bottle that caused plenty of people to speculate he’s still dealing with some lingering issues.
The Bengals were hoping to land a franchise quarterback when they selected Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He showed plenty of flashes of brilliance during a rookie campaign that was marred by a season-ending knee injury, and a new era officially began in Cincinnati the following year when he led the team to its first Super Bowl since 1989.
Burrow cemented his status as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL with a run to the AFC Championship in 2023, but the team missed the postseason last year after going 9-8.
You could argue their failure to make the postseason stemmed from the second season-ending injury Burrow has suffered after tearing a ligament in the wrist in his throwing hand against the Ravens in Week 11, but the team was already facing an uphill battle when you consider they were 5-5 before Jake Browning stepped in to lead them to a 4-3 record to finish things out.
Burrow had plenty of time to recover from the surgery he underwent to address the issue, but it definitely looked like he was dealing with some lingering issues when the Bengals kicked off the season with a surprising loss to the Patriots.
The QB was limited to just 164 passing yards, and there were a few clips that suggested his wrist was bothering him—including one of him picking up a water bottle that made the rounds as fans used it as evidence he’s not fully healed.
However, Burrow downplayed those concerns while speaking with the media on Tuesday and seemed fairly baffled by a reporter who called attention to the Water Bottle Incident that appears to be fairly overblown based on his reaction to the question.
“what did I do? Oh I picked it up weird?” 😂 #Bengals pic.twitter.com/96ufOE41k4
— Joe Burrow Fan Club (@JoeyBClub) September 11, 2024
Burrow will have the chance to put questions about his health to rest (or possibly raise even more) when the Bengals face off against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday.