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Joe Burrow returns to Bengals practice for first time since hand injury

nbcnewsla.com May 6, 2024

Joe Burrow is back.

The superstar Cincinnati Bengals quarterback participated in offseason practice for the first time since he tore a ligament in his right wrist on Nov. 16 during a Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Burrow was shown throwing footballs in the Bengals’ practice facility in a clip the Bengals posted to social media Monday.

It’s a small but significant step for Burrow as he attempts to make his way back from the second season-ending injury in his four-year NFL career. It also lines up with Burrow’s stated timeline for returning to the field, as he told ESPN in March that he hoped to be completely cleared by May and fully participate in offseason team activities (OTAs) at the end of this month.

Burrow has easily been one of the best quarterbacks in the league when active, as both of his fully healthy seasons have culminated in a Bengals trip to the AFC Championship Game. Following the 2021 season, Burrow’s first full year in the league after he tore his ACL as a rookie in 2020, he led Cincinnati to an upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference title game — the only time Patrick Mahomes & Co. have failed to reach the Super Bowl since 2019. The Bengals then narrowly lost Super Bowl LVI to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 and then lost to the Chiefs by the same score in the AFC Championship Game the following year.

Cincinnati faded from the playoff hunt last season after Burrow’s injury, finishing 9-8 despite backup quarterback Jake Browning exceeding expectations in Burrow’s place.

Individually, Burrow has also lived up to the gaudy hype placed on him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after winning the Heisman Trophy and leading LSU to a college football national title in 2019. The 27-year-old sports a 68.0% completion rate and over 14,000 pass yards and 97 touchdowns in 52 career NFL games. The Bengals, who are listed at +1300 to win Super Bowl LIX on FanDuel Sportsbook, are expected to contend for the postseason again in 2024 — provided Burrow’s recovery continues as hoped.

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