Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis uncertain if Vontaze Burfict will play this season

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict may not play for the rest of the year.

When speaking with reporters on Monday, Lewis offered significant uncertainty when talking about his Pro Bowl linebacker. Per the transcripts from Monday's press conference:

How is he doing?
"I don’t know, we’ll see."

Is there a chance we’ll see him again this season?
"Again, I don’t know. We’ll see him when everybody says he’s ready to play or good enough to play we’ll have an idea."

Burfict, who underwent routine arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 27, missed his sixth consecutive game on Sunday when Cincinnati hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There hasn't even been a hint of positive news regarding Burfict. During the week of Cincinnati's Week 13 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one observer noted that he was "still slightly hobbled". Prior to last week's game in Tampa Bay, Burfict "didn't look (to be) in condition to play" and he was "laboring a little" through some of the pre-game drills.

Of course he's recovering from knee surgery... his conditioning (if that was the emphasis of that point) will need some work. But the initial timeline wasn't expected to be this long. Now, after being out this long, it seriously raises the question of whether or not he'll play.

"I don't think Vontaze a Burfict is coming back this season.....and he's dying not being able to get on the field" Lap @holygrailbanks

— Lance McAlister (@LanceMcAlister) December 9, 2014