The Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t afford another setback. After starting the NFL season with back-to-back divisional losses, they desperately needed to beat the Los Angeles Rams.
Nonetheless, at the same time, they also needed to do what was best for their future. Joe Burrow had reaggravated his calf injury in Week 2, and some thought he needed to sit out to heal.
That wasn’t the case with the former first-overall pick, though. Following the win, Burrow made it clear that he didn’t want his team to drop three straight games, regardless of his condition.
Joe Burrow Wanted To Take Risks
“It was all stuff that you weigh when you’re making that decision,” Burrow said. “There is the risk to go out there and potentially re-injure it, but there’s also the risk to not go out there and be 0-3. So, I wanted to be out there for my guys, and I was confident that I would be able to do what I needed to to get the win.”
As noble as this might seem, and as much as this speaks of his leadership and determination, there’s a point in which a team needs to protect its players from themselves.
Burrow is just getting started in this league, and he could be an elite quarterback for the next decade at the very least. He needs to take care of his body, and should sit out if he’s at risk of suffering further injury.