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‘Never heard of a quarterback getting a thumb cramp’: Cincinnati’s Jake Browning returns
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning left Sunday’s NFL Week 14 game against the Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium during the fourth quarter with an apparent thumb injury.
The Bengals announced a short time later that Browning was probable to return to the game with muscle cramps. He returned to the game for the Bengals’ next offensive series.
Browning headed to the locker room for evaluation, but returned to the sideline with nothing on the thumb.
“I’ve never heard of a quarterback getting a thumb cramp,” CBS analyst Jay Feely said. “I’m thrilled for him though.”
Browning appeared to injure the thumb when he was shoved to the ground by a pair of Colts defenders after releasing a pass.
Browning was replaced by AJ McCarron, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster last week.
Browning, who was making his third NFL start, replaced starting quarterback Joe Burrow during a game in November against the Baltimore Ravens, after Burrow injured his right wrist.
McCarron hadn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season NFL game since 2020, when he played for the Houston Texans. He played for the Bengals from 2015 to 2017.
Shortly after entering Sunday’s game, McCarron had a touchdown pass to receiver Tee Higgins nullified by a penalty by Higgins for offensive pass interference. The Bengals settled for an Evan McPherson field goal.
McCarron completed his only pass attempt.
The Enquirer will update this story.
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