Bengals QB Joe Burrow confident he's put in work to 'make sure I'm healthy' 

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has seen the worst of the injured reserve in his NFL career.

A knee injury ended his rookie season and placed him on a long road back to the field. Three years later, a calf strain suffered in training camp reduced him to a statue in the pocket for the first month of the 2023 season, and just as he broke free from the granite, a wrist injury ended his campaign.

At times, life’s most challenging experiences can teach us the most valuable lessons. This is certainly true for Burrow, who has learned and adapted based on these experiences as he enters the 2024 season.

“I’m confident I’ve put all the work in I need to make sure I’m healthy,” Burrow recently told the team’s official site. “I’m continuing year-to-year to better hone that and make that more efficient. Maybe listen to my body a little more throughout the offseason and not push through things that maybe I have in the past. I’m just starting to learn my body more and more.”

It’s beneficial for Burrow to understand his body well, given that it’s not just his, but also Cincinnati’s most significant asset. The Bengals comprehended in 2023 that their success is tied to how far Burrow can lead them, and he can’t achieve that if he’s unable to physically get himself onto the field.

As he aims to return to the field in 2024, he’ll find some new faces. Running back Joe Mixon is off to Houston, and Burrow’s offensive coordinator, Brian Callahan, is now the head coach in Tennessee.

But the changes should be relatively minimal. Cincinnati promoted Burrow’s quarterbacks coach, Dan Pitcher, to replace Callahan, and elevated Pitcher’s lieutenant, Brad Kragthorpe, to fill his vacant position.

So, some folks will be missing, and a handful of replacements — the Bengals signed running back Zack Moss this spring — will fill their spots. But after ascending to the AFC throne in 2021, falling back behind the Chiefs in 2022 and failing to threaten for it in 2023, the Bengals know what it takes to get back there. And it doesn’t require much change.

Burrow stated, “Our aim is to maintain consistency, which is why we promoted Pitch and Brad. We’ve tried to keep the majority of things in-house, with a few new additions believed to enhance our process. I believe that’s always beneficial. I’m eager to witness how this working relationship will evolve.”

Anyone who is here will self-scout and adjust their strategies from last year to improve their offense.

The crucial ingredient for improvement might just be availability, something that Burrow confesses begins with him.

“Improving our consistency from last year is crucial. My injury played a part in that inconsistency,” stated Burrow. “To take our offense to the next level, we must maintain consistency from one series to the next. Even though we’ve demonstrated game-to-game consistency, becoming one of the league’s top three offenses requires us to be even more consistent.”

Burrow’s health significantly affected his performance in 2023, causing inconsistencies. His ability to maneuver the pocket in the first month of the season was hindered as he battled with a calf issue. However, once his health improved, Burrow regained his former prowess, reinstating the Bengals as a threat within the league.

Burrow hopes to instill the same fear in his opponents in 2024.

“Burrow stated, “We are confident that we have the right team to achieve our objectives. The challenge lies in integrating all the components and identifying our roles for maximizing our potential.”