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Joe Burrow on Bengals Avoiding COVID-19 Issues: ‘There’s Not a Ton to Do in Cincinnati’

In Thursday’s Hot Clicks: why the Bengals QB thinks his team has dodged virus issues, Joe Johnson’s NBA comeback and more.

Dan Gartland

Joe Burrow on Bengals Avoiding COVID-19 Issues: ‘There’s Not a Ton to Do in Cincinnati’
Joe Burrow on Bengals Avoiding COVID-19 Issues: ‘There’s Not a Ton to Do in Cincinnati’ /

Is he wrong?

As NFL teams continue to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks, the Bengals have thus far managed to avoid any major issues related to the virus. They have just one player (cornerback Chidobe Awuzie) currently on the COVID-19 reserve list.

Quarterback Joe Burrow is thankful that his team is staying healthy and he has a theory about why that’s the case—although it might not make fans too happy.

“We’re still a healthy team, which not a lot of people can say at this point in the season,” Burrow told reporters Wednesday. “We’ve been lucky as far as injuries and COVID. We’re doing a great job with our COVID protocols. Fortunately, there’s not a ton to do in Cincinnati, so nobody’s going out to clubs and bars and getting COVID every weekend.”

Is that going to make Bengals fans upset or do they agree that their city is lame? I’ve never been to Cincinnati, but I did a bit of Googling and it doesn’t seem too bad. Every list of the top Cincinnati nightlife spots says one of the best bars is 16-Bit, which has more than 50 classic arcade games. That isn’t exactly a Miami Beach nightclub, but it sounds like a good time for the right kind of person.

And if you need more Cinci nightlife recommendations, just ask Chad Johnson:

No matter the reason, the Bengals are lucky to have dodged major COVID-19 problems. The same can’t be said for their Week 16 opponent, the Ravens. They currently have 11 players on the reserve list, nine of which are on defense. They only have 15 defensive players on their active roster, two of whom (Calais Campbell and Tavon Young) are dealing with injuries. That leaves Baltimore facing the prospect of playing the Bengals in a key divisional matchup with a ragtag bunch of fill-ins on the defensive side of the ball. Both teams are 8–6, tied atop the AFC North.

If Burrow and his fellow COVID-negative homebodies beat the virus-depleted Ravens on Sunday and go on to make the playoffs, Bengals fans will surely forgive any slights about their city’s nightlife. 

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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).

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