Bengals QB Joe Burrow sets record straight on contract situation, calf injury
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow took to the podium for the first time in over a month Wednesday.
Since Burrow suffered his calf injury and missed all of training camp, the questions surrounding his availability for Cincinnati’s season-opener against the Cleveland Browns and the status of his contract extension continue to increase.
Burrow, entering his fourth season with the Bengals, has been eligible for a contract extension since the start of the offseason. The Bengals and Burrow have not agreed to an extension as of Wednesday afternoon.
It could change quick, though. But according to Burrow, it won’t affect his decision to play on Sunday in Cleveland. The plan – barring a setback with his calf – is for him to play.
“I'm ready to go,” Burrow said. “I mean we're going to see how these next couple of days play out, because you never know with these things. I'm expecting to play. We'll see how these next couple of days go.”
Burrow is the quintessential franchise quarterback. So, what’s taking so long? Only a select few people know as both the Bengals and Burrow’s camp have agreed to a vow of silence regarding the negotiation process.
With Burrow unable to practice for a month, it limited his interactions with the media leading to a ton of speculation and confusion as to why his extension isn’t done yet.
In his 19-minute media session, the 26-year-old set the record straight on a number of topics.
What exactly happened with his calf injury?
“Just a muscle strain,” he said. “It just takes while to get back from those. They're finicky. You've got to spend more time healing than you anticipate. We're in that process right now."
Burrow suffered his calf injury during a non-contact play in the final minutes of practice on the second day of training camp. He said he knew right away what the injury was and knew it wasn’t an Achilles injury which would have ended his season before it even started. Burrow was disappointed but found a way to push through. As he always does.
When asked if this injury was especially hard to deal with based off the fact he missed all of training camp last year after undergoing an emergency appendectomy the day before practice started, Burrow said the two situations are different.
“It was frustrating … I would say this year it was different,” Burrow said. “I was able to maintain lifting through the whole process, so I'm in great shape. As good a shape as I've been in heading into Week 1. Much different than last year when I was just trying to get back to full strength and full health. I feel much better going into Week 1 this year."
Is he back to full strength or does he expect this injury to nag him all season?
Soft tissue injuries are tricky. Burrow said some days he has good days and sometimes he has bad days. So, what do those days look like?
“They feel normal,” he said of good days. “Bad days feel a little tight. That's what injuries are, good days and bad days and you just power on and move on.”
Burrow participated fully in practice on Wednesday. It was a big deal as he says he feels “good.” He refrained from declaring he will play though to protect himself. The Bengals and Burrow want to make sure he can get through a full week of practice before saying with full assurance that he will be good to go.
All signs point to him trending in that direction, though.
Is he looking at Sunday as the deadline to get a deal done this year?
No, he isn’t. Burrow is hopeful he will get a deal done soon but it’s not something keeping him up at night.
“That's the last thing I'm thinking about,” Burrow said. “I'm worried about beating the Browns right now. I mean it comes when it comes. I'm not worried about it or anything.”
Burrow also added he wants to play in Cincinnati his whole career.
Why is the contract extension the last thing he’s worried about?
Burrow has kept the same stance since the first day he was asked about the extension process. He feels confident in his play and believes the Bengals will give him what he wants therefore he doesn’t stress over it.
“That's gonna come,” he said. “I'm gonna keep playing well. I feel great about the organization and everybody in the locker room and in the coaching staff, and so, you know, that's the icing on the cake to me. I'm just excited to be out here.
How is he compartmentalizing the risk of a potential injury without a long-term deal in place?
One of the biggest reasons why players opt to “hold out” and not practice or play during contract negotiations is centered around the injury risk. Some players fear what happens if they play without the security of a long-term extension and get hurt what it could do for their future deals. San Fr9ersancisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa didn’t report for training camp or the start of this week due to his contract dispute.The 49ers made him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL and gave him a 5-year deal on Wednesday afternoon. Now, he’s expected to play on Sunday.
Burrow has already suffered a significant injury in his young career. He’s torn his ACL and has dealt with injuries each year. He hasn’t played in a preseason game in over two years because of his injuries.
So, how is he compartmentalizing all of that while acknowledging his desire to play?“Those are all the things that you think about, right? But I feel like I’m in the position that I’m in is because I love playing football,” Burrow said. “I work really hard to put myself in a really good position to go out and be successful. And that’s just what I enjoy doing. I wouldn’t be myself if I wasn’t able to do that. I’m not going to let the business side of things take that away from me.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow talks contract extension, injury
