Bengals QB Joe Burrow is learning the most valuable lesson towards extending his career

The only person who can truly hold back Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is Burrow himself.

Entering his fifth year with the Bengals, Burrow is coming off his second season-ending injury. And it wasn't even the only injury he dealt with last season. Before a right wrist injury sidelined Burrow for the final seven weeks of the season, a calf injury he suffered during the second practice of training camp hampered him from late July all the way to October. 

The Bengals can't go as far as they want to if Burrow is getting injured before games are being played, and the 27-year old QB seems to be realizing how to nullify this concern.

Joe Burrow is learning from his past 

As Burrow's recovery from his wrist injury progresses, he's on track to partake in most offseason activities starting in May. What's just as important is his mindset of pushing through future potential injuries seems to be in the right place.

"I'm confident I've put all the work in I need to make sure I'm healthy," Burrow told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "I'm continuing year-to-year to better hone that and make that more efficient. Maybe listen to my body a little more throughout the offseason and not push through things that maybe I have in the past. I'm just starting to learn my body more and more."

You can't read the boldened sentence without thinking about last July.

Burrow and the Bengals weren't even two days into training camp, and the franchise quarterback was already dealing with calf soreness. It's why he was wearing the now infamous calf sleeve to practice. 

Upon rolling out of the pocket during a non-contact drill, Burrow suffered a calf strain that sidelined him for several weeks, and greatly impacted the first four games of the season. He was practically immobile, and his accuracy suffered due to poor footwork. 

Had Burrow rested the calf instead of powering through it, it may've never been strained in the first place. The entire 2023 season could've changed from one decision. 

It's a lesson that Burrow seems to have learned. If he's to become a more durable quarterback, he's got to be more precautious in all phases. That includes toning it down a notch during offseason work when availability is more important than going 100%.

How Burrow navigates through the 2024 offseason will be one of the bigger storylines out of Cincinnati. The outlook of the upcoming season will hinge on whether or not Burrow is fully ready to go for Week 1.