Just days after Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Joseph Ossai’s impressive NFL debut, his rookie season has likely come to an abrupt end.
Ossai totaled five quarterback pressures in the Bengals’ preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including a sack of quarterback Tom Brady.
Unfortunately for Cincinnati, that may be the only game that Ossai appears in this season.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Ossai will undergo knee surgery for a meniscus injury that is believed to be a season-ending procedure. The former Texas pass rusher was widely considered a fringe first-round prospect throughout the draft process, but the Bengals were able to steal him with pick No. 69 in the 2021 NFL draft.
#Bengals rookie DE Joseph Ossai is slated to have knee surgery this week for a meniscus injury that is feared to be season-ending, per source.
Brutal blow for Cincinnati and Ossai, a third-round pick who sacked Tom Brady and had five QB pressures in a stellar preseason debut.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 22, 2021
As a junior for the Longhorns, Ossai was a consensus first-team All-American and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy. He compiled 55 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.