On Sunday, CBS showed a video clip of Joe Burrow repeatedly flexing his right wrist, sparking panic on social media over the state of his surgically repaired joint.
Burrow sought to calm those concerns Wednesday, telling reporters there was no cause for alarm.
CBS aired game video at the end of Cincinnati’s 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots. The video shows Burrow flexing his wrist repeatedly throughout the game, including while on the field and on the sideline before picking up a bottle.
For everyone who is concerned about JoeyB’s hand/wrist and has sent me messages:
This is a normal stretch and precaution, they just highlighted it on the broadcast for the drama. image.twitter.com/2l2gXQPRSS
— Joe Burrow Fan Club (@JoeyBClub) September 10, 2024
This led to rampant speculation on social media that Burrow could still be dealing with his 2023 wrist injury. Burrow injured the wrist on his throwing arm last November, ending his season with seven games remaining on the schedule.
The injury required surgery to repair a torn ligament. Sunday was Burrow’s first game since the injury. His performance did nothing to quell speculation.
Burrow completed 21 of 29 passes for 164 yards (5.7 yards per attempt) without throwing a touchdown. The Bengals’ once-high-octane passing game produced 154 yards. The 16-10 loss to a Patriots team projected as one of the NFL’s worst was the biggest surprise of Week 1.
Burrow’s explanation
Burrow said Wednesday that repeatedly flexing his wrist is just part of his routine as he continues to recover from wrist surgery.
“I do that all the time,” Burrow said. “When you’re recovering from an injury, you always try to keep the joint loose. That’s part of ligament injuries. If you don’t move it, you’re going to lose it.
“I’m always moving it, keeping it loose, keeping my mobility the way it’s supposed to be. It’s going to keep happening. I do it at home. I do it here. I do it all the time.”
Even that explanation leaves the door open to concern. Logic dictates that a fully functional wrist shouldn’t require a constant form of physical therapy. That alone seems to confirm that her wrist isn’t what it once was.
This opens the door to two more questions. Is Burrow capable of making the throws he used to make? And, if not, how long will it take him to get back to his old self?
Burrow also addressed that concern: “Absolutely not,” he told reporters. when asked if his wrist is preventing him from making throws. But the real answer will come on the field over the course of the 17-game season.
Burrow’s next chance to quell speculation won’t be any easier. The Bengals travel to Kansas City on Sunday to face the two-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs with the prospect of starting the season with an 0-2 record.
