Bengals' Joe Burrow Expected to Make Full Recovery After Surgery on Knee Injury

The Cincinnati Bengals provided an update on the status of quarterback Joe Burrow, who underwent surgery for his knee injury on Wednesday.

"Joe Burrow underwent successful surgery yesterday," the announcement said. "The procedure went as planned and he is expected to make a complete recovery. Joe will begin the recovery process and we look forward to his return."

Burrow suffered the injury during a Week 11 loss to the Washington Football Team and was carted off the field. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported it was a torn ACL and MCL in the left knee, meaning reconstructive surgery was necessary.

The rookie was already looking ahead to next year in the immediate aftermath of the setback: 

Cincinnati was not a realistic contender this season, and any serious injury to Burrow during his first year was a worst-case scenario. That it was so significant could impact how ready he is for next season, although the surgery was at least deemed successful.

The Bengals made the LSU product their franchise quarterback when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 draft, and he wasted little time impressing on the field.

Prior to the injury, the Ohio native completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 142 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Cincinnati won two of its first eight games, which was the same number of wins it had in all of 2019.

For now, the 2-8-1 Bengals are playing out the string on the schedule until they can start looking toward building a better team around Burrow for 2021 and beyond. 

That may start with the offensive line, but having their quarterback back and healthy is the most important step in the rebuilding process.