Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is set to make his return from a toe injury on Thanksgiving against the Baltimore Ravens. Burrow has been sidelined since Week 2, but he resumed practice two weeks ago and aims to boost the 3-8 Bengals' slim playoff chances. His return comes amid questions about the team's long-shot postseason odds of +2500.
Joe Burrow, the Bengals' franchise quarterback, suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury in Week 2 that required surgery, limiting him to just one game this season. In that outing, he completed 58.3% of his passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Burrow's absence followed a stellar 2024 campaign where he led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, earning Comeback Player of the Year honors for the second time.
With Burrow out, Jake Browning started initially, but the Bengals went 0-3 in his stretch. In early October, Cincinnati traded a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for veteran Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick in return. Flacco has gone 1-5 as the starter, contributing to the team's current four-game losing skid and 3-8 record.
Burrow addressed concerns about returning for a team with fading playoff hopes, emphasizing his commitment to the game. "I'm a football player and if I get hurt, I'm going to go through the rehab process and then I'm going to let everybody know when I feel like I can go out there and play," Burrow said. He added, "I'm not going to live my life and play this game scared of something happening... That's part of this. Yeah, I've had injuries, there's not a lot I can do about that."
The Thanksgiving matchup in Baltimore pits Burrow against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, who sit at 6-5. Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is ruled out with a concussion, but Ja'Marr Chase returns from suspension and could see heavy targets with Burrow back under center. Chase Brown has handled 27 combined carries over the past two games, and his role may evolve with the quarterback's return.
While the timing may be late for Cincinnati's postseason push, Burrow plans to suit up if able, focusing on attacking rehab and practice to aid his team's turnaround.