Bengals QB Joe Burrow on track to return from torn ACL, MCL for Week 1

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was hoping to compete for Rookie of the Year honors last fall but had his season cut short on Nov. 22 when he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee playing against the Washington Football Team. 

Burrow underwent reconstructive knee surgery in December, and surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the 24-year-old signal-caller should be good to go when the Bengals open the 2021 campaign versus the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 12. 

"He's on track for full go for start of the season," ElAttrache told Schefter via text message. 

Schefter explained that ElAttrache, who performed the operation on the first selection of the 2020 NFL Draft, is working with the Bengals to get Burrow ready to face live defenses as soon as possible. Burrow's status for preseason games likely won't be determined until the summer months. 

"We just had him tested out here with a high-tech video and biomechanical evaluation, and he was ahead of where we anticipated and well into the return to performance phase of his recovery," ElAttrache added. "With him already performing this way, it's 'all systems go' for the start of the season."

Burrow finished his shortened debut season with 2,688 passing yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions.