Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was carted off the field after suffering a calf injury during Thursday's practice.
Burrow suffered the non-contact injury in his right leg while scrambling during an 11-on-11 drill, hopping on his left leg before grabbing his calf and falling to the field.
The star quarterback was tended to by medical personnel before being taken off the field in a cart.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that Burrow sustained a calf injury and more would soon be known about the severity. ESPN's Dianna Russini later confirmed that Burrow has a strained calf.
Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, finished fourth in MVP voting last season after throwing for 4,475 yards and a career-high 35 touchdown passes. He guided the 12-4 Bengals to the AFC Championship Game, where they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs. The previous year, Burrow led the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1989.
NFL
Burrow has yet to experience a full training camp and preseason during his professional career. Preseason games during his rookie season in 2020 were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After suffering a torn ACL that cut his rookie season short, Burrow played just one preseason series before going on to play in all 16 regular-season games and be named Comeback Player of the Year. Last summer, he had an appendectomy on July 26 and recovered in time to play in the Bengals' season opener on Sept. 11.
Now a potential calf injury roughly two weeks before the Bengals' preseason opener.
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Ja'Marr Chase, the Bengals' top wide receiver, spoke to Burrow while he was on the field after suffering the injury on Thursday.
"We always give each other that nod," Chase told The Athletic. "He gave me a nod he's all right. He's a strong dude."