The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback has been taking a beating lately.
The many legitimate hits and sacks are one thing. More troubling, though, is the growing number of blows that have come after Joe Burrow has released the ball.
The newly crowned AFC Offensive Player of the Month has taken some serious punishment in recent weeks.
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby flattened him in Week 9 after the play had been whistled dead, drawing blood from his neck.
A week later, Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey took several steps before levelling Burrow well after the ball was out.
And though not a late hit as such, Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt added a nasty ‘alligator roll’ – designed to twist the ankle of an opponent – to a sack last weekend.
Officiating concerns
Despite these infractions, penalties have been few and far between, calling the officiating into question.
Burrow himself has stated: “I feel like I have never gotten those calls.” That said, Crosby’s late hit was spotted at the time and cost him $11,000.
But no flag was thrown for Humphrey’s infraction, although he was retrospectively fined $22,000 by the league for unnecessary roughness.
However, financial repercussions after the fact do little to protect ‘Joey B’ in the moment.
Lack of protection and advocacy
Head coach Zac Taylor has at least aired his concerns. “I just got to keep fighting for some of that stuff. You do not want to lose him on a hit that’s well after the play’s over,” said Taylor.
He also candidly admitted that Burrow himself rarely lobbies for penalties, placing additional responsibility on the coaching staff to step in.
Perhaps more disappointingly, there is an apparent lack of response from his teammates. I have yet to see another Bengals player get riled up or confront an opponent when their guy takes a late blow.
Their silence speaks volumes.
The broader implications
Burrow’s injury history makes these unnecessary and illegal hits more than just game-day concerns.
If they continue to pile up, the extra trauma could dramatically shorten his career. Andrew Luck springs instantly to mind.
So, as Cincinnati’s season winds down to its inevitable and disappointing conclusion, I will be interested to see how the organisation handles it going forward.
Will they advocate more aggressively, on and off the field, for the safety of their main man? Will Burrow himself start to pipe up? Or will everyone stand by while he absorbs hit after unnecessary hit?
The long-term future of their biggest asset – and the success of the team – might depend on the answer.
