Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been out since suffering a turf toe injury he sustained on Sept. 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. With the Bengals at 3-8 and their playoff hopes all but gone, many would expect Burrow to get healthy for 2026.
Nonetheless, that’s not Burrow’s style, as the Bengals’ signal-caller is expected to be back for the Thanksgiving game against the Baltimore Ravens. Moreover, Burrow announced he’s playing Thursday night in a unique way.
Joe Burrow Is Back for the Bengals
On Monday, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor didn’t guarantee that Burrow was playing against the Ravens.
“I anticipate him playing, but we’ll continue to work through the week,” Taylor said (h/t Bengals.com). “I’m not going to declare that definitively. Coming off an injury, he’s done everything he could. He put himself in position to do his best to play (last Sunday). We’ll continue with that mindset. He looks like he’s in good shape right now, and he can be ready to go.”
Nonetheless, Burrow went over Taylor and announced that he’s ready to go for Week 13, posting on Instagram a picture of his younger self wearing a LeBron James jersey from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with the two-word caption “I’m back.”
Joe Burrow on IG 🤣🤣 https://t.co/NtP2rrppO2 pic.twitter.com/pgfUoS57SY
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 24, 2025
Even though Burrow is back, the Bengals quarterback will be without one of his top targets in Tee Higgins, who will miss the game as he goes through concussion protocol.
Bengals Teammates Are Happy to Have Joe Burrow Back
While speaking with the media, running back Chase Brown didn’t hold back his emotions about having Burrow back to try to end the 2025 NFL season on a positive note.
“It will be crazy,” Brown said on Monday. “Everyone is making it seem like it’s going to be this big Dark Knight rises or returns or something like that. I’m excited for him to get football back. He loves football, and to take it away from him for however long it’s been, that’s hard.”
Regardless of how Burrow and the team perform in these last handful of games for the Bengals, it will be interesting to see the direction Cincinnati takes with its front office and coaching staff after a disappointing season.
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The Bengals had playoff aspirations this campaign and instead will miss the postseason for a third straight season. As a result, Taylor and other decision-makers will be on the hot seat, whether they keep their jobs or look to start fresh, understanding that the Bengals cannot miss the playoffs in the Burrow era.
