Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a disappointing season where they missed the postseason for the first time since 2020. With Burrow missing seven games due to injury, going 9-8 doesn't sound so bad until you realize they finished last in the AFC North.
So you probably won't be surprised that Burrow realizes the key to the Bengals having the big season many expect them to have in 2024 is to stay healthy. Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 10 against Baltimore that required surgery. In a recent interview with Complex, Burrow said he needs to stay healthy and revealed a surprising key to his rehab.
"I know I'm going to play well when I'm out there. I'm at that point in my career where I've seen enough ball and I know myself that I can go out there and play as well as anybody in the game."
And how exactly is he strengthening his surgically repaired wrist? Burrow told Complex he's working on his hand and wrist dexterity with piano lessons, which is something he's always wanted to do.
"I’m learning the piano right now, hopefully I can get pretty good at that by next offseason. I guess it'll be pretty tough during the season, but it's helped my rehab too for my wrist, so that's something I want to get good at."
Obviously, the most exciting part of this is that Burrow can really lean into the piano thing and it will open him up to a whole new world of nicknames like Concerto Joe, Billy Joel Burrow, Joezart, and Ludwig van Beatraven. Combine that with a return to the playoffs and it should be music to his ears.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joe Burrow Reveals the Key to the Bengals Success in 2024.