Joe Burrow’s preseason action was just what the Cincinnati Bengals needed it to be

Former LSU football quarterback Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, returned to game action on Sunday for the first time since tearing his ACL as a rookie in 2020.

Burrow had been lobbying to see preseason action and his wish was finally granted on Sunday — albeit via very limited game action.

The former Tigers standout received a standing ovation from the Cincinnati faithful when he took the field against the Miami Dolphins.

Burrow then proceeded to play exactly three snaps before exiting to the safety of the bench.

While it wasn’t exciting, it was exactly what the Bengals needed it to be.

Joe Burrow didn’t need the reps, just the feeling of being on the field

Burrow didn’t play on Sunday to practice anything specific. He wasn’t working on his game, timing with receivers, or perfecting the offense.

He was out there to achieve one simple goal — get the butterflies out of the way before the first game of the season.

And that’s exactly what Burrow did.

The Bengals didn’t want September 12 against the Minnesota Vikings to be the first time Burrow returned to game action since his injury last November. Burrow went ahead and got that out of the way on Sunday. Now he can focus on executing the offense and winning games for Cincinnati.

Sunday’s limited action against the Dolphins might have seemed insignificant, but it was a very important part of Burrow’s recovery.

The next time Burrow takes the field it’ll be the real deal. And he’ll be as prepared as possible thanks to the three snaps he took on Sunday.