'I'm Telling Him 'No!' Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase on Injured Joe Burrow vs. Rams
As the Cincinnati Bengals look to overcome an 0-2 start, all eyes are on the status of quarterback Joe Burrow ahead of Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bengals star suffered a calf injury before the season, but surprisingly recovered enough to not miss any games. He may have been better off resting, though, as he re-aggravated the injury late in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. All week, the question of whether Burrow would play on Monday or not has been at the forefront of all Bengals' fans minds.
According to star receiver Ja'Marr Chase, though, fans shouldn't get their hopes up. On Friday, Chase told reporters that he doesn't expect Burrow to suit up against the Rams.
"If I had to guess I would say no," Chase said. "I'm saying no because I've been telling him no."
Jan 30, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Since Burrow first injured his calf, Chase has been adamant that the quarterback should rest up and only come back when fully healthy. In August, Chase said specifically that having Burrow healthy later in the season is well worth him missing the first few games.
"I sat out an extra game just to let my hip all the way heal up, and you don't want to cause no other problems later on in the season, and I told him as long as you're there after Week 5 and on, we're good brother," Chase said.
If Chase's take wasn't enough, Burrow was spotted on a cart with Bengals owner Mike Brown during Friday's practice. The two reportedly had a lengthy conversation before Brown dropped Burrow off to continue practice, and it's fair to assume the topic of Monday's game came up at some point.
Burrow's questionable status has drastically shifted the betting odds in the Rams' favor, although they are still slight underdogs. L.A. will be looking to take advantage of a banged-up and desperate Cincinnati team on Monday, but it still won't be easy.
