When Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow was sidelined on July 27 due to an injury, fans were in shambles. A calf strain put the entire season in question for him. The NFL community was abuzz with one question- When is Joe Burrow going to return to the field? However, the Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach, Zac Taylor, was completely coy about the timeline of Burrow’s return. This fueled the fire of speculation even further. On Wednesday, Burrow returned to the football field and was welcomed with open arms.

The move came a week and a half before the Bengals’ match-up with the Cleveland Browns on September 10. Though there has been no confirmation on whether the 26-year-old is going to play in week one, he was seen donning his shoulder pads and completing his passes. The practice session has once again resulted in an eruption of conjecture. While his teammates are delighted with his return, certain fans are not so sure about how Joe Burrow will fare through.

The prodigal Joe Burrow returns

When Burrow left the practice field with a strained calf, his team was experiencing cautious optimism. Watching him complete all the passes he threw in the practice session after his return, the feeling once again blanketed his teammates. According to the official website of the Bengals, players got candid about their thoughts on Burrow’s return. Bengals’ wide receiver, Trenton Irwin, was glad to see the Heisman-winning quarterback do what he does best.

Irwin said, “He threw some good balls out there. Excited to see him move around. He throws special balls. That’s what he does. Good to see him back out there doing what he does.” Though Joe Burrow did not perform at full capacity during the practice session, he still performed the best he could after such a long hiatus. A fact that made his teammates feel very proud of him.

Slot cornerback Mike Hilton was glad to have his leader back.“You could kind of tell when he’s out there, everybody’s a lot more focused. That’s how much he means to this team and this organization,” he said.

Read more: Hours After Engagement Rumors’, Joe Burrow Humbled As Cincinnati Humiliated by $600,000,000 Legend, Mere Days Before September Showdown

Driving in the 26-year-old’s leadership capabilities, Hilton further said, “He’s our leader and every time he’s on the field, we’re lucky to have him.” Ted Karras, the only player to currently hold the over-30 position in the team, and the designated dean of the locker room due to his experience, expressed similar sentiments. According to him, the team simply performs better with Joe Burrow around. While his teammates are celebrating the return of their quarterback, not everyone on the internet has been so kind.

Will the Bengals’ quarterback rise up to the occasion?

When the NFL reporter Dov Kleiman shared the news of Jow Burrow’s return to the field, the comments section surprisingly contained a mixed reaction. Several fans celebrated the return of the quarterback to the game. However, there were some naysayers present in the mix as well. As Burrow is coming off an injury that put him on the sidelines, a fan predicted that “He will be hurt again by week 3”. The fan commented:

Even though it is merely speculation without any substantiation, a fan revealed that anonymous sources claimed that Joe Burrow had a ‘setback’ during the practice.

However, this particular comment was received poorly by the rest of the NFL community, who clearly did not believe in the notion. Referring to the praises the 26-year-old’s teammates had for him, it might be true that Buroow, in fact, did not have any setbacks. While some followers came up with negative predictions, others were completely confident in Burrow’s return.

In addition, there were also some wishful comments:

Only time will tell whether the fans will be able to get their wish of seeing Joe Burrow in the field during week 1. But for now, his presence on the field has set his team in high spirits.

Watch This Story | Joe Burrow injury update: Bengals war horse braces for a 30-day countdown amidst $400,000,000 Peyton Manning offer