Despite Burrow’s injury, there is hope in Cincinnati
10 days after tearing the ACL and MCL in his left knee, Joe Burrow underwent surgery on December 2nd. According to a statement released by the Bengals, “Joe Burrow underwent successful surgery. The procedure went as planned and he is expected to make a complete recovery. Joe will begin the recovery process and we look forward to his return.”
Burrow’s injury brought an end to an exciting and successful rookie season. The bad news is that the Bengals anticipate Burrow will need 8-9 months of recovery. The good news is that the team and their fans have a few reasons to be optimistic.
Tearing an ACL and MCL means that Burrow will be in for a lengthy recovery. However, having surgery now means that he will be able to return to the team sooner. The decision not to wait until the offseason to have the procedure improves the chances of the quarterback being back under center in time for the start of the 2021 season.
Burrow has already shown signs of being the franchise quarterback that the Bengals need. After being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL draft, he completed 65.3% of his passes and averaged 268.8 yards passing with 13 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions in his first 10 games. The Bengals only went 2-7-1 in those 10 games, but it was clear that the offense was trending in the right direction under Burrow.
Losing Burrow for the season will likely result in another top-five draft pick for the Bengals. The team has needs at multiple positions and having a quarterback in place for the foreseeable future means that the team can focus on adding a player that can have an immediate impact in Cincinnati. They could draft another offensive lineman to protect Burrow or add help on the defensive side of the ball.
Joe Burrow’s rookie season brought a lot of hope and optimism to a franchise that has not won a playoff game in nearly 3 decades. While the injury will cause an interruption in his development and the team’s progress, there is still a lot to be hopeful for in Cincinnati.
