Joe Burrow returns after missing 9 Bengals games with Turf Toe
Joe Burrow is back in action with the Cincinnati Bengals after missing nine games due to a toe injury.
The 28-year-old quarterback returned to the football field at M&T Bank Stadium in Maryland on Thursday, November 27, for the Bengals’ Thanksgiving evening game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bengals ultimately defeated the Ravens in the Thanksgiving game, winning 32-14 as the football star made his long-awaited return.
Burrow was sidelined after a week 2 toe injury – which occurred during the Bengals’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 14 – that required surgery.
According to Cleveland Clinicgrass toe is “an injury to [the] joint of the big toe when ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues in the joint stretch or tear. It is a common problem for football players and other athletes who often sprint or jump during sports. Turf toe can be treated with rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain medications, but severe injuries may require surgery.
Amid the Bengals’ 3-8 record for the 2025-2026 NFL season, Zac Taylor teased Burrow’s return on Monday, November 24. That same day, Burrow confirmed the news in an Instagram Story post of a mirror selfie he first shared via Snapchat in 2014 to celebrate. Lebron James’ returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers after a four-year stint with the Miami Heat. In the photo, the Cavaliers fan wore a fitted No. 23 jersey from his childhood, with the caption: “He’s back.”
Joe Burrow.
(Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)Earlier this month, Burrow hinted at his plans to compete in the Thanksgiving game, which he described as “meaningful.”
He also noted that he struggled to watch from the sidelines as his teammates lost games, calling the experience “lonely.” (The Bengals had a 1-8 record in Burrow’s absence.)
“You try to do what you can and just train yourself in the weight room and in the training room if you’re trying to do well,” he told reporters during a Nov. 10 news conference. “There’s not much you can do anymore. You’re not with the boys, you’re not at training, so coming back from injury is quite lonely.”
It’s no secret that athletes like Tom Brady, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers love football, but there are also plenty of stars who enjoy cheering for their favorite team from the sidelines. Thank you! You have been successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Please enter a valid email address. Subscribe By signing up, I agree […]
Meanwhile, Taylor, 42, assured fans that Burrow was “in good shape” and “ready to go” ahead of Thursday’s match.
“He’s worked really hard to get himself back,” Taylor told Burrow media on Sunday, November 23. “He’s a football player. He wants to play football. We want to win football games, so that will lead to that decision.”
Taylor noticed that Joe Flacco would serve as Burrow’s backup quarterback when he returned to the field.
“There’s a balance where he’s clearly coming off an injury,” he said. “You want to be very aware of that. And a lot of that will depend on him feeling his pocket movements and his style of play. Those are decisions that he’s going to have to feel as he moves forward. Obviously, I would like to say, let’s be productive and not put him in an environment where that’s going to happen. You go out on the football field and that’s the way it’s going to take shape. … It’s the NFL. You can’t go out there with kid gloves on and say We’ll never let this happen. Some things will happen on their own. It’s up to him to take care of it when he’s there.’
Since Burrow was drafted by the Bengals in 2020, he has missed a handful of games due to injuries. In 2020, he suffered a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus that required surgery. Three years later, Burrow tore his wrist ligament in 2023 and was out for the rest of the season as he recovered from surgery to correct the problem.
