The Cincinnati Bengals have been the center of an odd story over the last 24 hours. Second-year receiver Jermaine Burton played in the team's preseason opener, but was then absent for practice on Sunday. The Bengals vaguely explained that Burton was dealing with a minor injury and left it at that.
However, many were quick to point out that Burton had an already-troubled history of commitment and behavioral issues in Cincinnati and wondered if he was quietly being punished for something that happened behind the scenes. Burton himself took to social media to set the record straight.
"Several posts and headlines circulated regarding my absence from on the field yesterday," Burton said. "Unfortunately, some of these reported have omitted important context, leading to false assumptions about my commitment and character."
"To be clear - my absence was DUE TO INJURY, not for any other reason. Any suggestion otherwise is simply untrue... Thank you to everyone who has reached out with support. I'll be back out there soon, and I look forward to continuing to work hard for this tea and our fans."
We'll see if Burton is back on the practice field before the Bengals' second preseason game.
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