The Cincinnati Bengals will be without superstar quarterback Joe Burrow as training camp kicks off -- the signal-caller is going under the knife to have his appendix removed.
The news broke just minutes ago ... with Ian Rapoport saying #9 will miss a bit of time due to the procedure.
Burrow showed up at the Bengals facility over the weekend to work out alongside rookies and injured players ... and Tuesday marks the first official day of camp.
The news comes amid contract talks for the 25-year-old ... with team president Mike Brown saying the focus is to give him an extension before his deal runs out.
While it's a slight bummer for Bengals fans, Rap says the decision was made based on the understanding it would be better to get the appendectomy out of the way sooner than later.
Makes sense -- the Bengals are coming off their most successful season in forever ... and are hoping to make another run at the Super Bowl this season.
Can't let a pesky appendix get in the way!!