Bengals RB Joe Mixon undergoes successful knee surgery; will miss at least 1 game

Bengals running back Joe Mixon has undergone successful arthroscopic knee surgery, according to Ian Rapoport.

Mixon is expected to miss at least one game, but his timeline to return is two to four weeks.

Mixon’s injury occurred in the Bengals’ Week 2 Thursday night win over the Ravens. Mixon exited the game multiple times, but kept coming back in to help fuel the Bengals’ victory.

“It was really important. Coach called my number and the team needed me, and they needed us to make plays, and we were fortunate enough to make them,” Mixon said of re-entering the game, despite his injury. “We settled in in the fourth quarter, and the last two drives we went out there and were fortunate enough to finish them off.”

Mixon has been among the Bengals’ most dynamic players through two weeks and a major focal point of the offense. Without him in the mix, Cincinnati will turn to veteran Giovani Bernard, Tra Carson and rookie Mark Walton. As of now, I wouldn’t expect a call up from the practice squad or any additional signings.

“It felt weird. My knee was hurting,” Mixon said of the injury. “Other than that, it’s just the mental side of it. You always want to play at 100 percent (health), but when something is bothering you it’s hard mentally. I just had to check back in mentally and physically tough it out. And that’s pretty much what I did.”

If Mixon could make it back for the Bengals’ Week 4 game against the Falcons that would be fantastic for the Bengals, but it’s more likely he misses the Bengals’ Week 3 game in Carolina, Week 4 in Atlanta and then tries to return in Week 5 against the Dolphins. The Bengals play the Steelers in Week 6 at Paul Brown Stadium.

Here’s to a speedy recovery for Mixon!