Cincinnati Bengals Star Quarterback Joe Burrow Suffers Shocking Calf Injury: The Real Story Behind His Practice Field Collapse

Joe Burrow. Adam Lacy/Csm/Shutterstock

Joe Burrow suffered an injury during training camp, causing him to be carted off the field. The incident took place on Thursday, July 27, during the Bengals' practice. While performing a drill, the 26-year-old quarterback experienced discomfort in his right leg. A video from WLWT Cincinnati showed Burrow hopping on one foot after running across the field. He then made his way to the sidelines, where he rolled onto the ground and tried to stretch.

Burrow's teammates and the medical staff quickly gathered around him, sensing something was wrong. The medical professionals carefully examined Burrow's injured leg, and soon a cart arrived to transport him off the field.

Later, during a press conference after practice, Bengals coach Zac Taylor disclosed that it seemed Burrow was experiencing discomfort in his calf. Taylor, who is 40 years old, mentioned that a few other team members were also experiencing aches on the second day of training.

According to the coach, many players experience soreness after the first day. The coach mentioned that Burrow was scrambling during practice and acknowledged that injuries can occur in football. He expressed that the soreness could be temporary and affected several other players, leading to reduced playing time. In Thursday's practice, Burrow wore a black compression sleeve on his right calf, a change from the previous day.

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Following practice, Ja'Marr Chase, Burrow's teammate, expressed his lack of worry about the quarterback's injury, attributing it to an unspoken exchange they had on the field.

"We always acknowledge each other with a nod," stated Chase, 23, in an interview with The Athletic. "When he nodded at me, I knew he was fine. He's definitely a resilient guy."

This is not the first time that Burrow has started training with an injury. Before the 2021 season, he was recovering from a torn ACL that occurred during his rookie year in 2020. Last year, Burrow had to skip the first few days of camp to undergo surgery for his ruptured appendix. On Wednesday, July 26, during the first day of practice, Burrow expressed his delight to reporters for being in good health as he entered the season.

“Knock on wood — I feel great,” Burrow said at the time. “This time last year I was sitting in a hospital bed. It’s good to be out there with the guys. Excited about where we’re at.”