Cincinnati Bengals Lose QB Joe Burrow to Season-Ending Injury

Posted on: November 17, 2023, 03:54h. 

Last updated on: November 17, 2023, 04:48h.

Pauly McGuire Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will miss the remainder of the regular season with a right wrist injury. The Bengals saw their Super Bowl odds at DraftKings plummet from +1400 on Monday to +10000 on Friday.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow injury
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow jogs off the field at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore to get medical attention after he sustained a wrist injury against the Ravens on Thursday Night Football. (Image: USA Today Sports)

Burrow exited Thursday Night Football in the second quarter with an apparent injury on his throwing hand. Without Burrow in the second half, backup quarterback Jake Browning finished the game. The Bengals lost 34-20 to the Baltimore Ravens.

Burrow underwent an MRI on Friday, which revealed torn ligaments in his right wrist. The Bengals announced that Burrow is officially out for the remainder of the season.

If the Bengals make the playoffs, there was no indication of whether or not he could rejoin the team in the postseason.

The Bengals slipped to 5-5 on the season and currently occupy last place in the AFC North. With a victory on Thursday, the first-place Ravens improved to 8-3 and became the first team in the AFC to reach eight victories.

Futures Market Plummets After Burrow Injury

The Bengals were +1100 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII in the preseason. Their odds bottomed out at +3000 after they started 1-3.

During a four-game winning streak, the Bengals saw their Super Bowl odds improve to +1200 last week. After losing against the Texans on Sunday, their odds dipped to +1400.

Oddsmakers quickly reacted to the news about Burrow’s injury. They adjusted the Bengals’ futures across the board. The Bengals are now +10000 odds to win the Super Bowl and +5000 odds to win the AFC Championship.

The Ravens are the betting favorite to win the AFC North at -300 odds, followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers (+380) and Cleveland Browns (+475). The Bengals are now a long shot to win the division at +4500 odds.

The Browns also lost their starting quarterback this week when they announced that Deshaun Watson fractured his throwing shoulder and underwent season-ending surgery.

Bengals Began Season with Banged-Up Burrow

The Bengals had high hopes and championship aspirations ever since Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals to an AFC Championship victory two seasons ago. The Bengals advanced to Super Bowl LVI but lost to the Los Angeles Rams during an exciting season that invigorated the city of Cincinnati and fired up the Bengals’ fan base.

The Bengals went 12-4 last season and advanced to the AFC Championship game in consecutive seasons. They failed to secure back-to-back trips to the Super Bowl when the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC Championship as a home underdog.

Burrow went down with a calf injury at the start of training camp in late July. The non-contact injury occurred during a passing drill, and Burrow required assistance off the practice field.

Burrow sat out the remainder of the preseason but started in Week 1. Without any preseason action, Burrow looked sluggish and rusty in the season’s first game. He also had not fully recovered from the calf injury but gutted through the pain.

The Bengals lost the first two games of the season against divisional foes. Burrow aggravated the calf injury in a three-point loss against the Ravens in Week 2. He was questionable to play in a Monday Night Football game against the Rams in Week 3. Although Burrow was a game-time decision, he suited up and led the Bengals to a three-point victory for their first win of the season.

After losing to the Tennessee Titans in Week 4, the Bengals won four games and improved to 5-3. Burrow finally looked like his old self, especially after a bye in Week 7.

Did Burrow Suffer Initial Injury Last Sunday?

The Bengals lost a close game against the Houston Texans, 30-27, in Week 10. Burrow sustained a right wrist injury against the Texans but never came out of the game.

Before Thursday Night Football, Burrow was photographed exiting the team bus with a soft cast on his right wrist. The Bengals did not report any issues on the official injury report for Week 11, and the NFL investigating if the Bengals withheld any crucial information about Burrow.

With less than six minutes remaining in the second quarter against the Ravens, Burrow completed a touchdown pass to running back Joe Mixon. The Bengals cut the Ravens’ lead to four points and trailed 14-10.

Cameras captured Burrow in obvious pain when he walked off the field after the touchdown pass. He attempted to throw on the sidelines but could not put any zip on the ball. Burrow was done for the night, and head coach Zac Taylor inserted Browning in for the remainder of the game.

Browning completed 8 of 14 passes for 68 yards and one touchdown pass to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. He also added 40 rushing yards on four carries.

Taylor told reporters that Burrow sprained his right wrist when he fell on it earlier in the game but did not specify the exact moment.

Browning will start the remainder of the season. He went undrafted out of Washington and spent stints as a Minnesota Vikings practice squad member in 2019 and 2020.

The Bengals signed Browning to their practice squad before the start of the 2021 season but did not see any action until this season. Browning won out of the backup job behind Burrow in the preseason.