Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals prior to the game on October 15, 2023. Photo by Michael Hickey via Getty Images
The season is over for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and now, the NFL is investigating potential foul play.
Coach Zac Taylor announced Friday afternoon that Burrow would need season-ending surgery. This would occur to fix a torn ligament in his right wrist. The injury was sustained during the Thursday Night game between the Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, a game which Baltimore won 34-20.
Burrow said that he felt a “pop” in the second quarter, after which he left the game. He attempted to throw on the sidelines to get back in the game, but was in clear pain and unable to do so. After halftime, he was officially ruled out, and that’s when fears began to settle in for Bengals fans.
“I was just going to tape [the wrist] up and give it a shot,” Burrow said. “I just couldn’t.”
Foul Play?
However, the situation is far from just a simple injury. The NFL is investigating the team for foul play after they failed to place Burrow on the restricted list prior to the game. A video posted on the team’s Twitter (X) account showed Burrow walking off the plane prior to the game, with a compression cast on his right wrist. It is worth noting that the Bengals have denied accusations of foul play.
The video was quickly deleted after, which may indicate that Burrow was already injured prior to the game and the Bengals failed to report it. The NFL is investigating whether or not the Bengals failed to comply with the league’s injury report policy. If found guilty, the Bengals could suffer severe fines or loss of draft picks.
Wasted Money
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy placed a $120,000 bet on the Bengals to win the game prior to kickoff. However, he is now filing a class-action lawsuit against the Bengals for failing to properly disclose Burrow’s true status. He argues that he wouldn’t have made the bet had it been known that Burrow was not fully healthy.
“There is no shot I put 100k hard earned [sic] dollars on the Bengals if I knew Joe Burrow was injured going into the game,” Portnoy wrote on Twitter (X).
The Bengals, who now sit at 5-5, will try to salvage the remainder of their season with backup QB Jake Browning taking the realms. He was 8-of-14 passing for 68 yards and a touchdown last night, which isn’t bad. However, this devastating injury to Burrow all but seals the Bengals’ 2023 season.
