“Dark Time,” that’s what Joe Burrow’s call his NFL journey which has been a rollercoaster ride of triumph and tribulation. The Cincinnati Bengals‘ quarterback recently pulled back the curtain on a chapter that’s reshaped his outlook on football and life.

“When you’re coming back from injury… you build your life around football and being out there and playing well and winning games,” Burrow revealed on the Up And Adams Show this week. “And you work so hard for it and then it’s taken away from you and you can’t do that. And so you kind of go through a dark time there for a little bit.”

Burrow’s been knocked around since starting his 2020 rookie campaign with the kind of injuries that make even the toughest guys cringe. And his rookie season was ended by a terrible knee injury – it was a Grade 3 tear on his ACL, MCL, PCL, and a meniscus tear. Then came a calf strain last season followed by an injury to ligament in his throwing wrist which ended his season run. The trainer’s room has seen more of this 27-year old than he would want.

These obstacles have left their mark. “Whenever the injuries start to stack up, your football mortality kind of comes into the back of your mind,” Burrow told reporters last month. It must be hard for such a young star who has almost tasted Super Bowl victory.

But Burrow’s not one to throw in the towel. He’s flipped the script, turning recovery periods into opportunities. “I think I really have a leg up on everybody this year. I had 10 to 12 extra weeks of offseason, which I think has really paid off body wise,” he explained to Kay Adams.

All these trials have remodeled Burrow’s outlook on his career. External motivations do not drive him anymore or the need to prove himself. “I wouldn’t say I would say that kind of motivation can only get you so far. I think I’ve proven enough in this league whether people choose to believe that or not,” He mused out loud.

Instead, he’s found a deeper, more intrinsic drive. “I’m comfortable with the things that I’ve done so far. And so I’m not really externally motivated at this point. I’m more intrinsically motivated,” he explained. “I think that’s kind of what you have to morph into as you start to get older and become more of a veteran in this league.”

The mental toll of these injuries isn’t lost on Burrow. “You always forget how hard it is coming back from injury — that’s every time it happens,” he said as per Bleacher Report. “There’s always peaks where you’re like, ‘I’m feeling great,’ and then a couple of months later you have a couple of days where it’s like, ‘Man, I’m not feeling that great.'”

But he’s learning from past mistakes. “In the past I pushed through that and caused problems for myself, and this year I’m not doing that,” Burrow added, showing his growth in managing his health.

It is impossible to overstate Burrow’s significance to the Bengals. Prior to him joining, they had gone without winning in playoffs for longer than any other team in NFL history. They now have made to two AFC Championship games. Interestingly, when Burrow plays more than eleven games per season Bengles always reach AFC championship game- a feat that’s only happened twice in his four-year career.

The Bengals’ approach is a tightrope walk

As the Bengals prepare for the upcoming season, all eyes will be on how well they can combine their Super Bowl dreams with their franchise quarterback’s long term health. Burrow made it clear last month in an interview with reporters that he has a goal: “We have to be ready to go early September through February. That’s how we’re attacking this offseason and this rehab plan and these practices and training camp.”

While Burrow’s determination is commendable, there have been concerns about how the Bengals are handling their face of the franchise. NFL analyst Nick Wright did not mince words in criticizing the approach of the team.

“I have a major issue with how reckless and impulsive the Bengals have treated the maybe best player in the history of their franchise,” Wright stated last year November. He argued that the team’s eagerness to keep Burrow on the field, even when not fully healed, has been a risky gamble.

Last season, Cincinnati incurred criticism for allowing Burrow to play through a calf injury only for him to suffer a wrist fracture that ended his season at week 11. This has led to calls for better player care and protection.

In response, the Bengals seem to be changing their tune. Dan Pitcher, the new offensive coordinator, is implementing a more cautious approach to Burrow’s practice regimen. “That’s something we’re being more proactive about this year,” Burrow confirmed to reporters last month.

Burrow’s path serves as a grim reminder of what NFL players go through physically and mentally. Pain injections are common among many players during game days just so they can get on field. The brutal nature of this sport was brought to light when ESPN reported “There will be a line out the door in game day training rooms this weekend for pain injections” in 2016.

The journey continues as Burrow navigates through his NFL career while providing interesting insights into his thought process that has slowly evolved due to his resilience leading up to this point where he is now even more resilient from it all.