The Bengals’ bad luck strikes again! Just when Cincinnati thought they’d hit rock bottom, the NFL said: here, hold my gatorade. A single tweet from insider Ian Rapoport about Trent Brown dropped like a bomb. 

Brown will undergo surgery for a torn patellar tendon, which has now sidelined him for the 2024 season. “#Bengals OT Trent Brown, who was ruled out last night with a knee injury, will undergo surgery, sources say. His 2024 season is over, but Brown is expected to make a full recovery,” Rapoport’s tweet read. Yes, he’s expected to make full recovery, but the veteran OT won’t be playing any games this season.

The Bengals were already licking their wounds after a rough loss to the Commanders, but losing Brown? That’s a legit gut punch. 

The disaster struck in Week 3 during Monday Night Football at Paycor Stadium. It was all fine until 6 minutes were left in the first half when the OT’s knee decided it had had enough. One moment he was blocking Washington defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong; the next, he was down on the turf, clutching his right knee in agony. The dreaded cart came out, and Bengals fans knew—this was no minor ouchie. 

Bengals’ HC Zac Taylor was honest about how the situation appeared. He admitted, “It doesn’t look good.” And sure enough, Tuesday brought confirmation: OT Brown’s patellar tendon was toast, and his season was over before it really even began.

What really stings is the timing. After three seasons with the Pats, the Florida standout was brought in on a $4.75M, one-year deal to beef up the O-line and protect QB Joe Burrow. Now, that task falls on rookie Amarius Mims, who’s barely had any practice. Just six snaps into the NFL, and Mims is now the man of the hour.

It’s heartbreaking to see Brown sidelined—the veteran who was so excited about joining Cincinnati’s offensive line team. 

Trent Brown: Plugging into the Bengals’ offensive line 

When Trent Brown made his entrance in Cincinnati, he was ready to blend in. “Just the pieces that are already in place,” Brown said during an official media interview, and you can bet he meant it. “I feel like it’s a plug-and-play situation.” After getting a call from his agent about some Bengals buzz, things escalated quickly. “Everything went well, and I guess that’s about as smooth as you could say,” he laughed. 

When the Super Bowl LIII champ sat down with head coach Zac Taylor and offensive line guru Frank Pollack, it was clear: they wanted a beast who could bring it. “They believe in my game,” he shared. “They feel like this is what’s missing to help them get over the top.” Talk about some serious trust!

With Orlando Brown Jr. already owning the left tackle gig, Brown was ready to strut his stuff on the right side. And let’s be real—keeping franchise QB Burrow upright is no small task. “It means a lot… to keep him upright because you know he can make special things happen,” he said, channeling that QB-protection energy like a true pro.

Getting back to Pro Bowl form was on the OT’s radar, and he was all about that focus. “I feel like I’ll be worried less,” he emphasized, ready to dive into pure football without distractions. Plus, he was more than comfortable facing off against elite pass rushers like Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt. “That’s what I do best,” he declared, like a lion ready to pounce.

Trent Brown’s just getting started. Let’s see how the future shapes up for the star OT.