There was no definitive timeline for Joe Burrow's return following his appendectomy two and a half weeks ago. The Bengals may have a clearer outlook after Sunday.
Burrow was on the practice field for the first time since having his appendix removed 19 days ago, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday. The Bengals' star quarterback was seen coming back from a walkthrough with a jersey on and a helmet in hand, per The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr.
Though it is unclear how much Burrow did during Sunday morning's walkthrough, participating at any capacity is good news for Cincinnati. That's not to indicate Burrow wasn't at Bengals practice all along, as he was driving around the field on a cart less than one week removed from surgery.
Another good sign for Burrow's recovery was beheld ahead of the Bengals' preseason opener on Friday night when he ran sprints during pre-game warmups.
Burrow is coming off a breakout season where he guided the Bengals back to relevancy, winning the AFC championship and getting Cincinnati to its first Super Bowl appearance since the 1988 season. The 25-year-old led the NFL completion percentage (70.4) and passing yards per attempt (8.9) in 2021, and has turned the Bengals into an offensive juggernaut after just two seasons in the league.
Further updates on Burrow's status are poised to happen in the coming week. With the 2022 season opener four weeks away, Burrow still has plenty of time to get back up to speed with his teammates.
The Bengals have two preseason games remaining, with a road tilt on Sunday, Aug. 21 against the Giants and a home exhibition versus against the Rams on Saturday, Aug. 27. Both games will be broadcast live on NFL Network.
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