Bengals fans get a little bonus joy this Thanksgiving. After sitting out nine straight games because of a tough turf-toe injury, Joe Burrow is ready to play again. He will be back under center on Thursday night when Cincinnati faces the Ravens in Baltimore.
His return means a lot because the Bengals have struggled badly without him. They have won only one game in his absence, so having him back on the field will feel like a breath of fresh air. But even with Burrow returning, the truth is that Cincinnati’s playoff chances are basically gone. The timing just comes too late for a real push.
Some people have questioned why the team would even let Burrow play again when the season is pretty much lost. But Burrow made it clear that he wants to be out there as long as he is healthy. He doesn’t believe in sitting out just to avoid risk.
He said that if he is cleared, he is going to play. In his words, he would never tell someone he is healthy but thinks he should stay on the sideline anyway. That idea does not make sense to him. He refuses to live or play in fear of what might happen. He wants to compete, simple as that.
So even if the playoffs are out of reach, Bengals fans still get to watch their franchise quarterback back in action on Thanksgiving night.
