How Joe Burrow can prove any remaining doubters wrong in 2024

Joe Burrow is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL. There's no doubt about that.

Over his first four seasons, Burrow led the Bengals to two AFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance. He was named to a Pro Bowl in 2022 and was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2021. He also led the league in completion percentage that same year. His addition immediately catapulted Cincinnati into contender status.

But, for as good as he's been when available, the biggest lingering knock against Burrow is his durability, or lack thereof. Burrow has suffered a season-ending injury in two of his four seasons in Cincinnati, and some are starting to wonder if he is deserving of the dreaded "injury prone" label.

For instance, popular Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd recently stated that he would take a quarterback like Jared Goff over Burrow because of concerns about Burrow's health moving forward.

“Burrow is better. Burrow has four straight years with injuries," Cowherd said on air recently. "Goff never gets hurt. I’d go Goff. And I love Burrow, but aren’t you concerned about Burrow’s injuries? When’s the last time he had a good September? You’re getting to a point with Joe Burrow where the injuries are a part of him. You have to bake it in.

"If you’re asking me today who I would take, at this moment, it’s Goff," he added. "And again, I know Burrow’s better. I’m not denying that. More mobile, I think he’s as good a third-down quarterback as the league has, but all things considered, I’m really worried about Burrow’s health.”

How Burrow can prove doubters wrong in 2024

Cowherd is assuredly not the only one with concerns about Burrow's long-term health, due to his battles with injuries early in his career. As a result, the Bengals QB will have plenty of doubters to prove wrong in the upcoming 2024 NFL season. How can he do that? Well, the answer is honestly very simple.

In order to do that, Burrow will have to continue his stellar play, but he'll also have to stay upright and out on the field for the Bengals over the course of the campaign. That second part is of the utmost import -- Burrow simply needs to be out out on the field for the Bengals to have a real chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history.

That good news is that Burrow is well aware of this, and he's tried to make the necessary adjustments to allow that to happen.

"That's something we're being more proactive about this year," Burrow said at mandatory minicamp. "We don't have to be ready to go in the middle of June. We have to be ready to go early September through February. That's how we're attacking this offseason and this rehab plan and these practices and training camp. We're attacking it like I want to be out there playing in February."

There's no question when it comes to Burrow's talent. If he can couple that talent with consistent availability moving forward, he'll be the complete package at the quarterback position and in turn silence any remaining skeptics.