Joe Burrow had a nightmare of a 2023 NFL season that was plagued by two major injuries. The first one was a strained right calf that kept him sidelined during the first half of the season. He soon managed to come back, only to be injured again. This time around, the injury took him out completely. Burrow suffered torn ligaments in his throwing wrist during a Week 11 run-in against the Baltimore Ravens. Although Cincinnati was leading 10-7 before Burrow went to ground, they ended up losing the match 34-20.

His importance in the Bengals’ success is evident, as they failed to conjure yet another Super Bowl run. Burrow has maintained a consistent approach throughout this off-season. By striking a balance between recovery and training, he is looking to come back strong this upcoming NFL season and Burrow’s excitement is evident from his latest Instagram post, captioned, “Enough of the offseason time to play some football :).“ 

You can probably tell how Burrow can’t wait to get on the gridiron. It seems the QB is all set to prove his worth after a dismal 2023 season, where he was mostly sidelined and watched his teammates, WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Tyler Boyd, and backup QB Jake Browning, carry his torch. Now, things are lively once again around the Bengals training camp, as Joe Burrow is set to mark his return after a lengthy hiatus from the football pitch. 

Joe Burrow cleared for full contact practice

You heard that right! Joe Burrow returns to full-contact training after multiple injuries that threw his NFL career under the bus. Reporting to Paul Dehner Jr. of TheAthletic.com, head coach Zac Taylor shared a positive outlook on the Bengals QB’s injury. The doctor has finally cleared Burrow for a full return to training starting this week. However, Taylor warned the fans that Burrow wouldn’t be rushed. Instead, he will be closely monitored and the team will slowly allow him to get back in shape before the new season kicks off.

Burrow never had a smooth sailing training camp throughout his time at Paycor Stadium. When he was first drafted in 2020, Burrow had to follow COVID-19 protocols. This kept him out of full-team practice, as players mostly avoided contact. But in the latter half of his rookie season, he suffered a career-ending ACL injury that sent him to rehab. Next season, he had his appendix removed, which yet again sidelined him throughout the 2022 NFL off-season. Although he returned strongly with a promising 2023 season on the cards, two major double injuries threatened his NFL future.

Nonetheless, the Bengals faithfuls would hope the 2024 NFL season is less cruel to their star quarterback. After all, whenever Burrow has played more than 16 regular games throughout the season, the Bengals have stacked double-digit wins with mesmerizing performances in most matches. But can the Bengals topple the Kansas City Chiefs’ dominance in the AFC with Burrow back? As fans, we can just wait and watch for now!