Bengals HC reveals DB played through torn ACL vs. 49ers

Cincinnati Bengals safety Tycen Anderson. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals HC Zac Taylor reveals DB played through torn ACL vs. 49ers

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 11/3/23

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor revealed Friday afternoon that safety Tycen Anderson suffered a torn ACL during the team's Week 8 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. Not only that, but Anderson apparently played through the brutal injury.

Zac Taylor says Tycen Anderson tore his ACL.

Actually did it early in the game and kept playing through it, remarkably. Tough break after dealing with injury last year and making a mark early this year.

Will end his season.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 3, 2023

The second-year pro was selected by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft but was placed on injured reserve in early September last year. Anderson was designated to return in January but didn't play in any of the team's three playoff games last winter.

The 24-year-old entered this fall healthy and saw the field in each of Cincinnati's first seven contests. Anderson didn't play any defensive snaps though, recording all 123 of his opportunities on the gridiron on special teams.

The Toledo product finished tied for a season-low 15 snaps last Sunday against San Francisco and didn't record any statistics. Anderson had his best game in the Bengals' Week 6 win against the Seattle Seahawks, posting three tackles.

He finishes the campaign with eight combined tackles, including five solo takedowns and three assists.

It seems like an almost weekly occurrence in the modern NFL where at least one player across the league is carted off with a season-ending torn ACL. The fact that Anderson played through such a gruesome injury speaks to how tough and dedicated the former Rocket must be.

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