The Bengals’ quarterback situation has everyone in the football world talking — and a few people arguing.
After Joe Burrow went down with a wrist injury on “Thursday Night Football” and was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the season, the team is now turning to backup signal-caller Jake Browning.
To ESPN football analyst Mina Kimes, the move to have Browning, 27, take over as QB1 does not inspire much confidence, which did not sit well with former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf.
“As a UW fan who watched Jake Browning for four years, I’ll say this… Dude sure can punt!” Kimes, 38, wrote in what appeared to be a sarcastic post on X.
Browning started at quarterback for four years at the University of Washington, throwing for 12,296 yards and 94 touchdowns, and along with that, he recorded 14 punts for an average of 35.3 yards.
Whether Kimes’ X post was a shot at Browning’s play as a signal-caller or just a nod to his punting abilities, the words did not sit well with Leaf, the former Washington State QB who is known as one of the infamous draft busts in NFL history.
“I guess @ESPN is just the place where you go to s–t on people now as analysts. Good to know. WTAF,” Leaf, 47, wrote in his fiery response.
Browning, who entered the league in 2019, is finally getting his first action this season after getting thrust into the role after the Burrow injury.
He completed 8 of 14 passes for 68 yards, throwing his first career touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase on the team’s last drive of the game during Thursday’s loss.
The fill-in job was not enough to inspire Kimes, who responded back to Leaf.
“Ryan, we’re allowed to think players aren’t NFL-caliber starters and say so. This is hardly a savage critique,” she wrote.
Leaf then wrote back, saying he’s “empathetic” to those who are quarterbacks in the league, especially in situations like Browning.
“So he’s Dan Orlovsky or Chase Daniel. Ok, I’d disagree, I’m just not gonna call an NFL QB a punter after 30 mins of analysis before I’d succumb to the very hyperbolic ‘NFL caliber starter’ I’m clearly just too close to this I guess, and am empathetic to a peer & friend in Jake who I believe can be a very capable NFL starter just like Dan & Chase,” Leaf replied.
Kimes did seem to back off a bit after this and clarified her analysis of Browning’s collegiate career.
“Well let me be clear about one thing — I loved watching him at UW. Incredible career. My view on him as a prospect—which is what I was conveying there—doesn’t change that. And I’d love to be wrong.”
If it is Browning leading the team the rest of the way, he’ll have a challenge ahead of him as the team sits at 5-5 but on the outside looking in at the AFC playoff picture.
Cincinnati next plays the Steelers on Nov. 26 in another important divisional battle.
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