NFL Coach Shades Joe Burrow: 'At Some Point, Physically, His Body Is Going to Fail'

One NFL coach fears for Joe Burrow's long-term durability after injuries once again limited the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback in 2023.

"You love everything about him, but at some point, physically, his body is going to fail," the coach said to The Athletic's Mike Sando.

Burrow tore his left ACL and MCL as a rookie in 2020. Between 2021 and 2022, he missed just two starts but dislocated his right pinky finger and suffered a knee sprain in Super Bowl LVI. Then came the torn wrist ligament that ended his 2023 campaign after 10 games after he battled through a calf strain.

"Whenever the injuries start to stack up, your football mortality kind of comes into the back of your mind," the 2022 Pro Bowler told reporters in June. "So that's definitely something I've thought about and something I have had to fight through."

Burrow's comments during the Prime Video broadcast of Cincinnati's 27-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts were far more encouraging. He said he feels "great" and that "this is the biggest, the fastest, the strongest I've been since I've been in the league."

The 27-year-old has averaged 270.8 yards per game and completed 68 percent of his passes through four seasons. He has performed at an elite level when healthy. More than that, his general aura has helped to transform the Bengals' image from being hapless also-rans who can't win in the postseason to contender status.

But his list of injuries present a genuine fear, one Burrow won't dispel until he makes it through a full regular season unscathed.