When Will Joe Burrow Be Back with the Bengals?
Will Joe Burrow play again this season?
That has been a question for fans of the Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL (not to mention fantasy football players) since the star quarterback went down with a severe case of turf toe in Week 2.
He offered a surprise update this week in the Queen City, though he will not be in the lineup this weekend when the Bengals play at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Burrow Returns to Practice
The Bengals stunned their fans and pretty much everyone covering football Monday when they announced their star quarterback was returning to practice this week.
He could be activated within 21 days, though that does not automatically mean he would return to game action even if he is.
QB Joe Burrow will return to practice today in a limited capacity.https://t.co/MrqBrIcegK pic.twitter.com/gZyEPRCgoa
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 10, 2025
Any return in November would be weeks ahead of the original timeline presented when he suffered torn toe ligaments that required surgery in early September.
At that time, he was expected to miss at least three months.
9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/db7yUnHLO7
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 10, 2025
Head coach Zac Taylor revealed this week the team always though he could be back sooner, though.
“I think he’s ready for this part of the recovery, to come back on a limited basis and progress it on the field with the players,” Taylor told reporters in Cincinnati (via The Athletic). “Internally, this was always a good timeline for us. He’s worked really hard to get to this point, to get back on the field in a limited form.”
When Might Burrow Be in a Game Again?
The Bengals were off last weekend after blowing a fourth quarter lead for the second week in a row, this time to the Chicago Bears.
That dropped them to 3-6, though they are only two games behind the first-place Steelers in the AFC North.
They already beat Pittsburgh once, so doing so again this weekend would not only bring them within a game of first place but also mean the Bengals hold the tiebreaker.
Cincinnati is also a game back of Baltimore at this point, but they have not played the Ravens yet.
The first matchup with them is coming on Thanksgiving night, and that is a potential return goal for Burrow.
Joe Burrow on if playing Thanksgiving in Baltimore would be meaningful: “Very.”
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 10, 2025
Is that your target?
Smirks: “We’ll see.”
Will It Matter?
Cincinnati entered the season with questions on defense and the offensive line.
While the line has stabilized the last few weeks, the defense has gone from bad to worse.
Veteran Joe Flacco came in via trade with Cleveland in early October and not only stabilized the offense but has it playing as well as it likely would with Burrow.
(Flacco also discovered the joy of eating alone in public.)
However, 38 and 42 points weren’t enough for victories the last two weeks as the Bengals coughed up late leads to the New York Jets and then the Bears, respectively.
After facing Pittsburgh this week, the Bengals play host to New England in a game they might not win no matter who takes the snaps.
Then they go to Baltimore and then Buffalo, so it won't be an easy road no matter what.
But if Burrow hits the ground running, perhaps his return will inspire the rest of the team — including the young players struggling on defense — to lift its play to meet his standard.
Their last three games are against the lowly Dolphins, Cardinals and Browns, so sneaking into the playoffs seems plausible in a division where nine wins might be enough.