CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals will be down starters Joe Mixon and Joe Burrow heading into their last game of the regular season against Cleveland.
Burrow announced during a Wednesday press conference that he wouldn't be playing. The Bengals quarterback was limping a bit toward the end of their win over the Kansas City Chiefs last week.
"My knee is sore, but it's not bad," Burrow told media during a press conference. "I could play if I needed to."
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said Burrow is healthy and the team is giving him the week off to rest. He said the team hasn't decided if Burrow will dress for the game.
"We just want to have him fully ready to go for the first round of the playoffs," Taylor said.
Bengals running back Joe Mixon was added to the Bengals COVID-19 list on Wednesday, according to reports from Adam Schefter of ESPN and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Pelissero said Mixon has been asymptomatic. The Bengals added five players to the COVID-19 list on Tuesday. Taylor said there's a chance Mixon could test out of the COVID list and play.
The Cincinnati has clinched the AFC North and a home game in the Wildcard round, but are still in contention for a higher playoff seed. Despite that, keeping Burrow healthy is of larger importance.
The Bengals game at Cleveland is on Sunday at 1 p.m.
WCPO: Hendrickson, three other Bengals starters placed on COVID-19 list
.@JoeyB says he doesn't expect to play Sunday against the Browns. https://t.co/vAWHFPz5Sh
— WCPO 9 (@WCPO) January 5, 2022
Bengals’ Pro-Bowl RB Joe Mixon tested positive today for COVID-19 and will be out Sunday vs. the Browns, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2022
One day earlier, the Bengals placed S Vonn Bell, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, DE Trey Hendrickson, C Trey Hopkins, G Quinton Spain on the reserve/COVID-19 list
