Quarterback Joe Burrow of the Bengals discusses his wrist issue following online speculations prompted by a clip showing him picking up a water bottle.
A dismal home loss to the less anticipated New England Patriots set the stage for a sober beginning to a squad aiming for Super Bowl glory.
However, post-Week 1, it wasn't the outcome that was sparking conversation. It was Burrow's right wrist.
The quarterback had a wrist injury on his throwing arm towards the end of the previous season, necessitating surgery and a stint on the bench.
In the preseason, he had a brief appearance, but came back for the regular season opener against the Patriots, completing 21 of 29 passes for only 164 yards, without a touchdown or an interception, in the 16-10 home defeat.
Yet, footage from the game ignited speculation on social media regarding Burrow's wrist health. He was seen flexing and massaging his arm on the sidelines throughout the match, while a clip of him carefully picking up a water bottle was the center of attention, with some doubting the strength of his wrist.
But Burrow dismissed any injury worries on Wednesday.
“I grabbed the water bottle weirdly?” he declared during a press conference, also stating that his wrist was feeling "fantastic."
“I haven’t seen that (video) or know what everyone's chattering about,” he added.
The quarterback explained that the wrist flexing was part of his recovery process. “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it, so I’m always moving it around, keeping it loose, maintaining my mobility as it should be, thus, it'll carry on happening.”
Burrow featured on Cincinnati's injury report with a right wrist issue – the same one that had kept him out last season – but was a full participant in practice.
The Bengals take on the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Sunday, setting up another clash with Patrick Mahomes.
These two star QBs have met four times earlier, with Burrow leading the overall record, 3-1; Burrow is the only active quarterback to have three wins over Mahomes.
And the Bengals' play-caller is optimistic about a better performance in Week 2.
“The more football you play throughout the season, the better you get,” Burrow stated after Wednesday's practice. “Patterns start to emerge, certain formations in specific looks indicate how deep the teams play you.
“I learn a lot from my mistakes, learn a lot week-by-week, game-by-game, and generally, I’m able to apply that effectively. I’m excited about our position, the practice we had today.”
Despite the concerns raised by fans on social media, Burrow assured reporters that his right wrist was feeling great and emphasized the importance of maintaining mobility for his recovery process. The Bengals quarterback is set to face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in their upcoming match, aiming to build on his record of three wins against the Super Bowl champion.
