The Cincinnati Bengals‘ 39-34 loss to the Buffalo Bills didn’t just throw a bigger wrench into their playoff hopes. It also ended the tenure of one of Cincinnati’s recent draft picks.
Specifically, on Monday, following the team’s loss, the Bengals announced that they’ve released wide receiver Jermaine Burton from the team. He had been suspended for the Bills’ game without pay, though the team never provided a reason for why they were upset with him this time around.
Yet, it appears Burton’s latest mistake was the one that cost him his job. Though, considering he hadn’t played all season, it’s safe to say the Bengals won’t miss him.
Nevertheless, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor opted to keep things professional, saying, “Hopefully he gets a change of scenery, and it can do good things for him.”
Burton, 24, was the team’s third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 80th overall pick had recorded just four receptions for 107 yards while making 14 appearances (one start) as a rookie. Though his first season included some extra headaches too. The Bengals suspended him for the season finale of 2024, and he never made another official appearance with the team.
As Taylor said, hopefully this will be the wake-up call Burton needs to jumpstart his career. If not, he’ll be looking at a very quick departure from the highest level of football, which is not what any aspiring athlete wants to hear.
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