The Cincinnati Bengals began their season with a strong 2-0 start, but that quickly devolved. Since then, the team has been navigating a season defined by injury and unexpected quarterback changes. The team’s latest development is the highly anticipated return to practice of star quarterback Joe Burrow.

Burrow, whose season was derailed by a severe Grade 3 turf toe injury suffered during Cincinnati’s Week 2 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, underwent surgery on September 19th. His practice participation this Monday was partially limited and has officially triggered the 21-day window for his activation from injured reserve. While he will require several weeks of practice to fully assume the starting role, his commitment to seeing the struggling team through the end of the year is clear. Addressing the press following his limited session, Burrow offered a cautious assessment of his timeline.

“There are a lot of variables that are going to go into this. The number one is how I’m feeling and in my health, so we’ll just take it day by day, like we have been throughout the rehab process.”

Burrow’s impeccable throwing mechanics are intrinsically tied to his footwork, yet he remains confident the injury will not compromise his play. To reduce the risk of re-injury upon his return, he has been working on a special type of football shoe with protective hardware.

Crucially, while Burrow has been rehabilitating, the Bengals‘ defense has continued to struggle, but that is not the case for the team’s offense. The acquisition of 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco via trade with the Browns proved vital. In his four starts with Cincinnati, Flacco has demonstrated impressive command, completing 64.7% of his passes, tallying 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions.

As of now, Burrow’s singular focus is on rejoining to salvage the season. Despite recent successful campaigns, the team’s unforeseen struggles this year have led them struggling at a current record of just 3 wins and 6 losses.

Joe Burrow says “division is wide open” after his limited practice on Monday

Joe Burrow is keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to his return to the Cincinnati Bengals’ lineup, but the star quarterback definitely has a date circled on his calendar.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Burrow admitted that a return for the high-stakes Thanksgiving Day game against the Baltimore Ravens on November 27th would be incredibly meaningful. If he can’t quite make that target as he recovers from turf toe on his left foot, the team has a built-in safety net: a 21-day practice window that would allow him to officially be back in action by December 1st.

The urgency, however, isn’t just about his toe; it’s about the standings. For Burrow’s return to truly matter, the Bengals absolutely need to keep pace, which makes this week’s divisional showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers a genuine must-win. Burrow’s impatience to get back on the field is fueled by his belief that the division title is still a reachable goal. He articulated this vision for the team, saying:

“Our division is wide open. Pittsburgh is 5-4, and we play them this week. Everything is still there in front of us. It’s very rare that our division looks like this, but it does this year. And so I think we’ll be at least in it until the end.”

The reason behind his urgency is simple: a loss this upcoming weekend would see the Bengals fall three games behind first place with only seven games remaining. A win, conversely, would pull them to within just one game of the top spot, blowing the AFC North race wide open.

When asked for his general perspective on the remainder of the season, Burrow didn’t mince words, sending a direct message to his teammates in the locker room:

“We’ll learn a lot about who we have in the locker room, the guys we can count on going forward, and guys that we can’t. I think the next five weeks are gonna say a lot about who we can count on and who we can’t.”

He also took a moment to acknowledge and praise the performance of the man who has stepped in admirably during his absence. It seems Burrow has genuinely enjoyed watching and getting to know the person who has replaced him so spectacularly over the last four games.