Injury Update: When will Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow return?
Following what has been described as a ‘successful surgery’ we’ve now got a clear understanding of when we can expect to see the Bengals’ star return.
While it remains certain that the Bengals signal caller will not return this season, this is in fact very good news for the franchise. At this point the Bengals will have to carry on without their starter under center, they can rest easy knowing, he will be back.
Injury update on Joe Burrow
According to reports, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow recently underwent surgery to repair a tear in the scapholunate ligament on his right wrist. The procedure itself was done in Pennsylvania and performed by Dr. Thomas Graham, the Physician in Chief of the Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. Graham is from East Liverpool, Ohio, and earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati. It is understood from those with direct knowledge of the situation, that the official timeline for the injury is four to six months.
To be clear, the ligament in question is located in the middle of the wrist between the scaphoid and lunate bones and plays a central role in wrist stabilization.”Joe Burrow underwent successful surgery on his wrist today. The procedure went as planned and he is expected to make a complete recovery. Joe will return to Cincinnati this week to be with the team and begin the recovery and rehab process,” The Bengals said following the operation which was performed back on November 27th. As for how the injury itself occurred, you may recall the Bengals’ 34-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, November 16th. It was during that game, that Burrows suffered the injury, with head coach Zac Taylor announcing Burrow’s season was over the very next day.
Who is Dr. Thomas Graham?
If there is one thing that is clear in all of this, it’s that Burrow was and is in good hands. Dr. Graham, a world-renowned hand surgeon, has operated on several high-profile professional athletes, including Shaquille O’Neal, Kyrie Irving, and Russell Westbrook. In 2021, he operated on Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson’s thumb in 2021 and has quite a reputation in MLB, where his work has seen several stars get back to there best such as Phillies right field sensation, Bryce Harper, who underwent Tommy John surgery.
So, what next for Burrow & the Bengals
Given the timeline, Burrow won’t be back to training until at least mid-April when the voluntary offseason program begins. Official training camp will begin in the final week of July, which is to say there is still quite a way to go. With that said, one can expect Burrow’s progress to be carefully monitored as it is his throwing hand that was damaged and subsequently operated on. It’s probably worth mentioning that the 27-year-old was able to recover from ACL surgery in his rookie season faster than expected. Of course, the injuries are completely different but we can expect to see Burrow approaching his rehab with the same intensity and work ethic that he did last time, something he’s constantly praised for.
As for the team itself, Burrow has been a constant presence even though he’s unable to play. From team practices to the locker room, and team meetings as well he’s always around. Backup quarterback Jake Browning has been able to benefit from one-on-one sitdowns and it is understood that Burrow even gifted Browning and his family his personal suite. Ultimately, replacing the most expensive player in NFL history has been a task but at 8-6 the Bengals are still in with a chance of making the playoffs, so all is not yet lost.