Andrew Whitworth Reveals Message He Gave Joe Burrow After Latest Injury

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a grade 3 turf toe injury that required surgery last month. The 28-year-old is expected to be out until at least December with the injury.

Bengals legend Andrew Whitworth has spent time with Burrow over the years, including during the 2020 season after the star quarterback suffered a season-ending torn ACL. Burrow was a rookie at the time. Since then he's established himself as one of the best players in the NFL.

Whitworth was a guest on the Bengals Booth Podcast with Dan Hoard ahead of Thursday's game against the Steelers. He revealed his message to Burrow following another serious injury.

"I think for Joe, it's been a frustrating few years with some of that stuff," Whitworth told Hoard. "And you just, you worry about two as a friend, just continuing to have some of those moments. You don't want them to lose sight of who they are and why they're so special. Just because some bad breaks are going against them, stay resilient. I think that's part of this game too, is that ability to continue to keep running into that wall, regardless of situation and circumstance. And so for Joe, I just want to know how much he means to the franchise and everyone else and how much we think of him regardless of the football player he is. We love the human being."

Whitworth and Burrow talk regularly. The Bengals' legendary lineman was heartbroken after Burrow suffered the injury.

"I got to spend some time with him again this offseason," Whitworth said. "Just somebody that me and my family and all those around me couldn't, you know, love him more and then think more of him, couldn't be a bigger fan of him. And so all I want for that kid is to be successful because of his mindset and how rare he is as a human being, so it completely got it. It was heartbreaking. I reached out to him. It's just, it's one of those tough things. The game you love is the game you hate sometimes. And what makes football so special is that sometimes it can be the greatest joy we've ever had in our life, and sometimes it can literally be the biggest heartbreak ever."

Burrow suffered the injury in the first half of the Bengals' Week 2 win over the Jaguars. Cincinnati is 0-4 since his injury and traded for quarterback Joe Flacco after Jake Browning's third start.

The Bengals are hoping that Flacco can help right the ship and get the team in position for a playoff run. If that happens, then Burrow has a realistic chance to play meaningful football again this season.

The Bengals play the Steelers on Thursday night. A win would snap a four-game losing streak and put them in firm position to make a run in the AFC North. A loss would put their division and playoff chances in jeopardy just seven games into the season.

Listen to Hoard's full conversation with Whitworth here.

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