Midway through the second quarter of the game in which the Cincinnati Bengals are trailing the Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Burrow took a heavy sack from the visiting defense and was forced to leave the field with what appears to be a concerning injury.
With the severity of the injury still unknown, cameras caught Burrow on his way to the locker room needing assistance to put weight on one of his feet — a sight that certainly doesn’t paint an encouraging picture.
Earning the trust of Cincinnati’s coaching staff to take over the first-team offense for the remainder of the game is Jake Browning, who now faces the tough task of stepping in for one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
If confirmed, what could be a significant injury to the former LSU standout would undoubtedly be a major blow for a team that has long struggled with injury issues.
Potential replacement for Joe Burrow
For some time now, the man who has consistently remained in Joe Burrow’s shadow as the primary backup is former Vikings quarterback Jake Browning, who joined the franchise back in 2021.
The former Washington Huskies QB entered the league in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, with Minnesota being his first stop in the NFL. He later joined the Bengals, where he established himself as Burrow’s primary backup in case of any setback.
A tough injury history
Quarterback Joe Burrow has a history of significant injuries that have impacted his career. In his rookie year, on November 22, 2020, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee. This injury ended his season and kept him off the field for about nine months, though he was ready for the start of the 2021 season.
Then, during the 2023 season, he dealt with a torn wrist ligament on November 16, 2023. This required season-ending surgery and sidelined him for roughly six months.