Joe Burrow Out for Season as NFL Investigates Bengals for Leaving Him Off Injury Report

The quarterback ended Thursday's game against the Ravens early after tearing a ligament in his wrist, according to coach Zac Taylor

Joe Burrow is out for the remainder of the NFL season.

On Friday, the Cincinnati Bengals announced that the quarterback is out for the rest of the 2023-24 season due to a wrist injury that left him struggling during Thursday's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

The injury news has also prompted an investigation by the NFL into the Bengals, according to reports, and follows Burrow's early exit from Thursday's game, when he grabbed his wrist in pain after a second-quarter touchdown. The QB, 26, continued to warm up on the sidelines, but ultimately did not return to the field.

Coach Zac Taylor held a press conference Friday announcing Burrow's premature ending to the season following the "acute injury" that he suffered "likely on the play before his last one." As Taylor explained, Burrow tore a ligament in his wrist that will "likely require surgery and require him to be out for the rest of the season."

"[He's] obviously very disappointed because he likes leading this team and knows the opportunities that lie in front of us," Taylor told reporters. "But again, he's responding in a positive manner. You can only control what you can control. And his next step for us is continuing to lead this team, just in a different way."

The team now looks to quarterback Jake Browning, who sprung into action on Thursday during the Bengals' 34-20 loss to Baltimore.

The press conference comes two days after the Bengals organization posted a video of Burrow exiting the team's bus with an apparent cast on his hand, per ESPN. And now the outlet is reporting that the NFL will investigate why Burrow was not been listed on the Bengals' injury report ahead of the game, per the league's rules.

While Burrow's injury became clear after he struggled to throw for 4 yards to Joe Mixon for a touchdown during his final play, the Wednesday video footage shared by the Bengals organization indicated that they were aware of his wrist issues before the game. The footage has since been removed off social media, as WCPO re-shared the clip to X (formerly Twitter), zooming in and slowing down to show Burrow with something on his hand.

Burrow was notably not wearing a cast on his hand when he arrived at Thursday's game.

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The Athletic's Dianna Russini has also reported, citing sources, that the NFL is investigating why Burrow wasn't on the injury report. "The investigation starts today," she wrote to X. "They will be looking at photos, practice video, and speaking to people with the organization to decide if there was any wrong doing."

A spokesperson for the league did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Friday.

During Friday's press conference, Taylor told reporters that didn't know what Burrow was wearing and that it was "totally unrelated to what this was."

"A lot of our guys wear different compression things on the plane, but again that's something he did... I don't know exactly what it was, but totally unrelated to what this is."

Related: Joe Burrow Launches Nonprofit to Address Childhood Mental Health: 'The Least I Can Do to Give Back'

Taylor previously told reporters after Thursday's game that he believed the QB had sprained his right wrist while in action that night, and that he was not aware of an issue with his wrist before the game. "That was the first I saw anything about it," Taylor said after the game, per ESPN.

Former players are sounding off about the reported investigation, too, with former Giants OL Geoff Schwartz writing on X that "everyone is beat up this time of the season."

"If you’ve taken all practice reps and you’ve started a game you’re not injured," he wrote.

As for Burrow's teammates, wide receiver Tyler Boyd told ESPN and other reporters in the locker room after Thursday's game that the team is looking to "rally up" behind quarterback Jake Browning. "Joe gives us our best chance of winning football games but moving forward, Jake got us and we got to rally him up. We got to rally around him and make even more plays for him."

Browning told reporters at Thursday's post-game press conference that he has "a lot of confidence" in himself. "It's why I have a job. If Joe goes down, I go in and just try to win the game."

The Bengals play next at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 26.

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