Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will have surgery to repair a damaged toe, coach Zac Taylor revealed Wednesday. He’s expected to miss a minimum of three months. The injury that officially was termed turf toe happened in the first half of Cincinnati’s game last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Burrow’s injury got worse as Jaguars edge rusher Arik Armstead sacked him in the second quarter. This cast doubt on his ability to run the team.
Burrow’s left toe photos were immediately routed to world famous foot doctor Dr. Robert Anderson for public record assessment and peer review. The Bengals are preparing for a future without their superstar quarterback. They haven’t made a decision or announced a date for surgery, but their understanding of how greatly he impacted their offensive approach — in the passing game primarily — is clear.
In the Thursday night game against the Jaguars, Burrow was under constant duress, getting sacked twice on 13 dropbacks. With this level of pressure, it’s only natural to begin questioning the offensive line’s effectiveness. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor defended the offensive line. Of note, he accepted the blame in the form of the injury, attributing it to a unit-wide failure from top to bottom.
“We’re always evaluating how we can protect our players and put them in the best position possible,” – Zac Taylor
Taylor accepted blame for Burrow’s injury, admitting he knows he deserves criticism for his choice to put Burrow in danger. He accepted responsibility for it. If the blame ends up landing on him for not doing enough to protect Burrow, he’s willing to accept that.
“I take accountability for that, and if people want to blame me for putting him in a position, I’m fine taking that,” – Zac Taylor
Though Burrow is likely out for the year, the Bengals still see a bright future ahead. Backup quarterback Jake Browning would assume starting duties in Burrow’s absence. Browning previously started seven games in the 2023 season when Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury and demonstrated his capability by leading Cincinnati to a comeback victory against the Jaguars.
Dan Pitcher, the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, remarked on the team’s confidence in Browning, emphasizing that the players are well aware of his skills and contributions.
“They see what he does every day,” – Dan Pitcher
Burrow is out for the season. As a counter measure, the Bengals are looking hard for a third quarterback to bolster the position. The team’s management is working diligently to finalize the timeline for Burrow’s surgery and subsequent recovery, with updates expected within the next few days.
The Bengals’ offensive strategy has heavily relied on Burrow’s ability to execute plays effectively. His absence is a huge blow for Cincinnati as they get set to head through a critical stretch of the month ahead.
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