After Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11, the NFL investigated the team for injury report violations ahead of the game. Burrow was seen with a wrap on the same hand/wrist he injured in the game, but it was determined after investigating that no violations were found by the Bengals. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported the news that the Bengals were fully compliant with the injury report policy.
“The NFL reviewed medical records and studied practice footage from the week provided by the Bengals, who all along said and believed they were fully compliant with league rules. The NFL also interviewed relevant medical personnel and Burrow before determining the team was in compliance with the policy, according to a source,” Jones wrote.
It wouldn’t have been unprecedented if the Bengals were found guilty, and the team likely would’ve been fined. Back in 2019, the Steelers were fined $75,000 while head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $25,000 for inaccurately reporting QB Ben Roethlisberger on the injury report ahead of the team’s Week Two game against the Seattle Seahawks, the game where Roethlisberger was knocked out for the season with an elbow injury.
Burrow had said that the wrap he was wearing was a compression sleeve he wears to prevent swelling on flights, and it seems as if the NFL agreed with that assessment. In reviewing practice tapes, they clearly saw Burrow practice enough to justify him not being listed on the injury report at all ahead of the game.
The Bengals are now looking to get their season on track under QB Jake Browning. Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati’s 34-31 Week 13 win on Monday Night Football against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cincinnati is now 6-6, and they will face Pittsburgh for the second time this season in Week 16 at Acrisure Stadium.
