Cincinnati Bengals

Ryan Finley will start at quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Monday's Week 15 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with Brandon Allen sidelined by a knee injury.

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor announced the news Saturday.

Finley, 25, has appeared in four games for the Bengals this season, and he made two pass attempts after replacing Allen in last week's 30-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He's completed 10 of his 19 throws for 75 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in 2020.

The 2019 fourth-round pick out of NC State started three games as a rookie last year. He struggled, posting a 47.1 percent completion rate with two scores and two picks. He added 77 rushing yards on 10 carries.

Allen had taken over the offense in Week 12 after Joe Burrow, the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, suffered season-ending knee injuries the previous week against the New York Giants.

The 28-year-old Arkansas native posted a modest 83.7 passer rating with three touchdowns and two interceptions over the past three weeks. The Bengals lost all three contests by a combined score of 68-31.

Burrow showed a lot of promise in his 10 starts, lending hope the Bengals have found a franchise quarterback, but the team's 2-10-1 record highlights how much work is left upgrading the rest of the roster in order to get the team into playoff, and eventually championship, contention.

Finley is likely competing to show he can serve as Cincinnati's long-term backup behind Burrow. He faces a tough test against the Steelers' second-ranked pass defense (202.2 yards allowed per game), though.

Kevin Hogan or Kyle Shurmur will likely be promoted from the practice squad to fill the backup role Monday.

Given the uncertainty around Joe Burrow for the 2021 season, the Cincinnati Bengals could be in the market for a backup quarterback with high upside. 

On Thursday's episode of Get Up, ESPN's Adam Schefter speculated that Jameis Winston "makes a lot of sense right now" for the Bengals:

Burrow was injured in the third quarter of Cincinnati's 20-9 loss to the Washington Football Team on Nov. 22. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported an MRI revealed the Bengals rookie suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee.

As a point of comparison, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted that Carson Wentz suffered a similar injury late in the 2017 season and had to miss the first two games the following year. 

The Bengals announced that Burrow had successful surgery on Dec. 2, and "he is expected to make a complete recovery."

Brandon Allen, a sixth-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, has served as Burrow's replacement. 

Winston is currently a backup for the New Orleans Saints. He's set to become a free agent this offseason after signing a one-year, $1.1 million deal in April. The former No. 1 overall pick was passed on the depth chart by Taysom Hill after Drew Brees injured his ribs on Nov. 15 against the San Francisco 49ers.

While there is a level of volatility that any coach has to accept with Winston at quarterback, he's also capable of making big plays. The 26-year-old led the NFL in 2019 with 5,109 passing yards while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Even accepting some risk, Winston is a high-ceiling backup who could hold things down for the Bengals if they have to wait for Burrow to return at the start of next season.

Quarterback Joe Burrow is reportedly confident in his ability to be a key part of a championship-winning team with the Cincinnati Bengals in the future.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, a source close to Burrow said, "He loves it there and thinks he can win a Super Bowl with them."

If Burrow is going to bring the Bengals their first Super Bowl title, it may have to be with Zac Taylor as his head coach. Fowler and Graziano noted that Taylor doesn't appear to be on the hot seat despite his 4-23-1 record since the Bengals organization "hates change" and felt he did well with Burrow before the rookie was lost for the rest of the 2020 season with a torn ACL.

After turning in one of the greatest seasons in college football history by a quarterback, complete with Heisman Trophy and national championship wins, Burrow was selected No. 1 overall by the Bengals in the 2020 NFL draft.

Burrow entered a tough situation, as the Bengals went just 2-14 last season in their first year under Taylor.

Although Burrow went just 2-7-1 as a starter this season before getting injured, he showed glimpses of what the future could hold.

The Ames, Iowa, native completed an impressive 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also showed off his athleticism with 142 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Perhaps most impressively, Burrow spearheaded a 31-20 upset of the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, which was no small feat, as Tennessee leads the AFC South and reached the AFC Championship Game last season.

Given all he was able to do before the injury, Burrow was firmly in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race. That honor seems likely to go to Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert now, but Burrow undoubtedly proved he belongs.

The Bengals front office has a lot of work to do in terms of adding more talent on both sides of the ball before Cincinnati is back to competing for a playoff spot.

Taylor also has to show he is a capable NFL head coach, which remains a huge question mark given his poor record two seasons into his head coaching career.

The Bengals have a chance to break free of mediocrity if Burrow continues to develop into a potential superstar quarterback, but improvements have to be made from top to bottom within the organization as well.

The Cincinnati Bengals provided an update on the status of quarterback Joe Burrow, who underwent surgery for his knee injury on Wednesday.

"Joe Burrow underwent successful surgery yesterday," the announcement said. "The procedure went as planned and he is expected to make a complete recovery. Joe will begin the recovery process and we look forward to his return."

Burrow suffered the injury during a Week 11 loss to the Washington Football Team and was carted off the field. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported it was a torn ACL and MCL in the left knee, meaning reconstructive surgery was necessary.

The rookie was already looking ahead to next year in the immediate aftermath of the setback: 

Cincinnati was not a realistic contender this season, and any serious injury to Burrow during his first year was a worst-case scenario. That it was so significant could impact how ready he is for next season, although the surgery was at least deemed successful.

The Bengals made the LSU product their franchise quarterback when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 draft, and he wasted little time impressing on the field.

Prior to the injury, the Ohio native completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 142 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Cincinnati won two of its first eight games, which was the same number of wins it had in all of 2019.

For now, the 2-8-1 Bengals are playing out the string on the schedule until they can start looking toward building a better team around Burrow for 2021 and beyond. 

That may start with the offensive line, but having their quarterback back and healthy is the most important step in the rebuilding process.

Brandon Allen will reportedly start at quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals over second-year man Ryan Finley against the New York Giants on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Finley will serve as Allen's backup despite the fact that Allen was just called up from the practice squad.

Rookie No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week's loss to the Washington Football Team, forcing Bengals head coach Zac Taylor to weigh his other options under center.

Although the Bengals are just 2-7-1 this season, Burrow made a strong impression and gave every indication that he is Cincinnati's long-term answer at quarterback.

He was firmly in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation prior to the injury, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions and recording three rushing touchdowns.

Replacing that production will likely be impossible for the Bengals for the remainder of the season.

The 28-year-old Allen, who was a sixth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the the 2016 NFL draft out of Arkansas, saw his first regular-season game action last season with the Denver Broncos.

He started three games in place of the injured Drew Lock, going 1-2 and completing 46.4 percent of his passes for 515 yards with three touchdowns and two picks.

That level of production doesn't necessarily inspire much confidence, but the same can be said for Finley, who was the Bengals' fourth-round pick last year out of NC State.

Taylor gave Finley three starts last season in place of veteran Andy Dalton, and the results weren't great, as he went 0-3 while completing 47.1 percent of his passes for 474 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Finley played so poorly that Taylor went back to Dalton despite knowing Dalton likely wasn't part of the team's long-term plans.

After Burrow left last week's game because of his knee injury, Finley stepped in and struggled mightily, going 3-of-10 for 30 yards with no touchdowns and one pick.

There clearly isn't an ideal option at quarterback on Cincinnati's roster, but Taylor apparently hopes Allen can better utilize weapons such as Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins and A.J. Green than Finley has thus far in his young career.

With the Cincinnati Bengals still reeling from Joe Burrow's season-ending knee injury on Sunday, the organization reportedly has problems that go well beyond their franchise quarterback's health. 

In a report from Sports Illustrated's Elise Jesse, the Bengals' locker-room culture under head coach Zac Taylor is described as "college-level." 

An anonymous member of the team went further than that, calling it "worse" than a college-level culture. 

"Multiple people within the organization believe players are staying quiet because they don't want to lose playing time," Jesse wrote. "They say that there is very little trust between the players and the coaching staff."

After selecting Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, there were a number of stories about the Bengals wanting to change their culture. 

"Four of their final five picks were made on defense—three linebackers and a defensive end," ESPN's Ben Baby wrote in May. "A cursory look at their respective bios and post-draft interviews with Bengals coaches revealed each pick had leadership traits that were tangible—all four served as a team captain for their college program."

Another indication of Cincinnati's attempt to change things up came in free agency. The organization was notorious for not spending big money on the open market. They spent a combined $145 million on six players during the offseason. 

Despite those changes, the results have largely been the same for a franchise accustomed to losing. The Bengals are 2-7-1 after Sunday's loss to the Washington Football Team.

Carlos Dunlap, who was drafted by the team in 2010, was traded to the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 28. Jesse wrote that the two-time Pro Bowler and the coaching staff had issues related to his usage in a Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns:

"When the Bengals lost to the Browns 35-30 in Week 2, sources say Carlos Dunlap was not keen on going back into the game after the coaching staff held him out for more than a quarter. 

"Instead of pulling the two-time Pro Bowler aside and talking to him directly afterward, the coaching staff held a team meeting. They singled-out Dunlap in hopes of setting the standard for the team, but multiple players were rubbed the wrong way when they watched this situation play out."

Jesse noted that some Bengals players "steered clear of aligning themselves with Dunlap due to politics inside the locker room."

Wide receiver John Ross III, Cincinnati's first-round pick in 2017, wrote in a since-deleted tweet that he wanted to be traded by the team prior to the Nov. 3 deadline. 

"It's not a secret that i have requested a trade," he said. "Trade me if this how y'all feel. I'm healthy and eager to play. I know I can be productive. It's hard to love something when you're not actually participating in it. Believe me, its not football that I don't like."

Ross didn't get traded and hasn't played since Week 6 because of a foot injury. 

According to Jesse, the issues between the players and coaches extend beyond the head coach. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is described as "unapproachable," while offensive line coach Jim Turner "utilizes abusive language according to multiple members of the organization."

Turner has a long history of bad behavior during his coaching career long before he was hired by the Bengals. He was suspended two weeks by Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin in 2016 for putting together a presentation for a women's clinic that included sexist language. 

The Miami Dolphins fired Turner as their offensive line coach in 2014 after Ted Wells' independent investigation into bullying and misconduct in the locker room found he "tolerated and even participated in the harassment of Miami players."

Taylor, Anarumo and Turner are all in their second season with the Bengals. Taylor was hired as head coach in February 2019 after spending the previous two years as a Los Angeles Rams assistant under Sean McVay. The 37-year-old had not been a head coach before.

Since taking over for Marvin Lewis, Taylor has gone 4-21-1 with the Bengals. His .173 winning percentage ranks last among all active NFL head coaches.

The Cincinnati Bengals were reportedly "encouraged" by the MRI on rookie quarterback Joe Burrow's knee on Monday.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the injury was not worse than they initially expected, and the team is optimistic about Burrow's status for 2021 and beyond:

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ben Baby, Burrow tore both his ACL and MCL, requiring surgery and missing the remainder of the 2020 season.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner suffered the injury during Cincinnati's 20-9 loss to the Washington Football Team on Sunday.

While Burrow went just 2-7-1 as a starter before the injury, the 2020 No. 1 overall draft pick was drawing rave reviews not only for his play, but for his leadership and demeanor—all of which allowed him to look the part of a future NFL superstar.

Burrow was very much in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions to go along with 142 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Given that the injury occurred in November, it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Burrow could be ready for the start of the 2021 season should his rehab go well.

Until then, the Bengals are likely to roll with second-year quarterback Ryan Finley, who replaced Burrow on Sunday and went 3-of-10 for 30 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

Finley, a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft out of NC State, started three games for the Bengals last season, and it didn't go particularly well. In those games, Finley went 0-3 and completed 47.1 percent of his attempts for 474 yards with two touchdowns and two picks.

The Bengals could opt to go with Brandon Allen if Finley struggles again, but it is difficult to envision them enjoying much success down the stretch regardless of who is under center. The 27-year-old, who started three games last season for the Denver Broncos, will be signed from the team's practice squad, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

This season was all about Burrow's development and seeing if he could be the face of the franchise. His rookie year was unfortunately cut short, but Burrow answered a lot of questions and seemingly proved his worth in terms of being capable of leading Cincinnati from the basement and into contention in the coming years.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James sent well-wishes to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on Monday, a day after the rookie suffered a season-ending knee injury.

In a tweet, James acknowledged the pair's Ohio connections. Burrow, who led LSU to a national title last season, attended high school in The Plains, Ohio, and played the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Ohio State.

James, a native of Akron, Ohio, has long supported Ohio State and in 2013 said that he would have attended the university in Columbus had he played basketball collegiately.

Burrow will undergo reconstructive surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL in his knee, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ben Baby reported Monday that the rookie also suffered other structural damage in the knee before he was carted off in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Washington Football Team.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reported Burrow is expected to return next year following a nine-month recovery.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow reportedly suffered a torn ACL, torn MCL and other structural issues in his knee during Sunday's game against the Washington Football Team, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ben Baby. 

The rookie will now undergo reconstructive surgery to prepare for 2021, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

There is reportedly a nine-month recovery timeline with the expectation he will return in time for next season, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.

Burrow was carted off the field after a big hit early in the third quarter of Sunday's game and did not return.  The 2020 first overall draft pick knew his year was over in his message after the game:

Ryan Finley finished the game for Cincinnati and should get the first chance at the job going forward.

Finley finished 3-of-10 for 30 yards in relief last game during his first appearance of the season. He produced a 62.1 quarterback rating in his three starts as a rookie last year, all of them resulting in Bengals losses.

The team also signed Brandon Allen from the practice squad on Monday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The 2-7-1 Bengals face the New York Giants Sunday and enter the Week 12 battle on a two-game losing streak.

The injury also creates long-term concerns for Burrow, who had played well in his first season despite a questionable roster around him. He totaled 2,688 passing yards with 13 passing touchdowns in 10 games, adding three rushing scores.

He also earned a lot of respect around the league, which was seen in responses to his injury:

Cincinnati will hope Burrow can return to full strength next season as the team tries to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.