Thursday Night Football brought multiple key injuries, along with some controversy, after Joe Burrow exited with a wrist injury that eventually proved to be season ending.
A video posted by the Bengals social media account before the game appeared to show Burrow wearing a brace or a wrap on his right wrist, and it was quickly deleted. But Burrow injured the wrist during the game, and it will now require season-ending surgery.
With gambling at the forefront of professional sports nowadays, Evan says instances like this are one of the key factors that can bring down an institution like the NFL.
“We live in this existence where sports gambling is legal in New York City, it is legal in New Jersey, and it happens a lot. I’d argue more people are doing it than not doing it,” Evan said. “Last night, on a standalone game with the entire country watching, the NFL stared in the eye the thing that could bring it to its knees.
“I didn’t think [the video] was a big deal. So, when I went on my app and thought about making a bet…I didn’t factor, ‘Hey, Joe Burrow might be hurt.’ And I don’t think many other Americans did, because he wasn’t on the injury report.
“Anybody who bet on the Bengals last night…is pissed off, saying ‘Hey, I got defrauded by the NFL.’”
Evan wonders if angry gamblers could turn on the league if more instances like Thursday occur in the future, as many fans already voice their frustrations that the officiating in the game causes them to lose trust in its authenticity. The league is reportedly investigating the Burrow video, since he hadn’t been listed on the Bengals injury report, but Evan says there was damage done that could have implications in the future if it proves to not be an outlier.
“Last night was not simply the Ravens beating the Bengals…the bigger thing, the far more reaching thing, is that the Bengals have a lot of explaining to do, because things like last night cannot happen, and if it does happen, you will get a revolt from the people who make the game as popular as it is,” Evan said.
“There is one thing that can bring down the NFL…little pieces can cause this to happen, and that’s losing the trust of the public, and having the public believe that what they’re seeing is not real, and not trusting what they’re seeing. This year, bad officiating contributes to that…if enough people start to believe stuff, and it impugns the integrity of the sport, it’s in trouble.”