NFL makes final ruling on Bengals, Joe Burrow injury controversy

The NFL found that the Bengals didn’t try to hide a Joe Burrow wrist injury before last month’s game with the Ravens. So ignore the viral video that first started the rumor.

The league’s decision had nothing to do with the wrist injury Burrow suffered while playing against the Ravens. He’s now out for the season. Rather, the decision was in regards to a video clip posted by Cincy team media showing Bengals players getting off a plane in Baltimore. Burrow was standing in the back. Still, social media sleuths spotted what appeared to be a brace wrapped around the quarterback’s right wrist.

Pushed by some conspiracy theories, the video quickly went viral. The Bengals didn’t help by deleting the video while not addressing what it allegedly showed. And the fact that Burrow left the game with a wrist injury seemed to indicate he already had something wrong with it. However, the Bengals didn’t reveal an injury on its daily report that the NFL requires.

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network first reported the news. He said the league reviewed Burrow’s medical records. There was no indication that he received treatment for a wrist injury. Officials watched practice video to check and see whether the quarterback’s wrist was an issue. And the NFL also reviewed the Bengals’ previous game against the Texans to check for a Burrow wrist problem. Plus, there were interviews with doctors and athletic trainers. The league also quizzed Burrow.

The Bengals quarterback said the wrap everyone saw on social media was a compression sleeve he usually wears when flying. Burrow told reporters he first injured his wrist when he landed awkwardly after a Jadeveon Clowney hit. Then on the next play, he threw a touchdown pass to Joe Mixon. But he said he felt a pop in the middle of the throw. That was when he tore a ligament, an injury that required surgery to heal.

The NFL requires teams to publicly report and monitor all injuries. And the league does make sure that teams are complying with its injury report policy. If a team violates the rule, then the NFL can fine the team or coaches involved. Or, the league can take away draft picks as punishment.

The Steelers are a recent example of what happens when isn’t honest on an injury/practice report. Back in 2019, the NFL fined Steelers coach $25,000 and the team $75,000 for not listing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on a practice report.

Meanwhile, Burrow had surgery to repair his wrist on Nov. 27. The Bengals are 6-6 and coming off an upset of the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Jake Browning now is the starting Bengals quarterback.