Joe Burrow’s comeback lasted one game before an injury concern entered the picture. After returning from the right toe turf injury that ended his 2025 season, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback reported back discomfort several hours after their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Given everything Burrow has already been through, speculation about whether he could play started. But he was quick to shut it down.
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During his press conference, he was asked about playing Sunday, and he gave a rather blunt response: “That’s ridiculous.”
And there was plenty to like about Burrow’s return before the concern surfaced. He completed 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his first game back, helping Cincinnati escape with a 33-27 victory.
Later, he described it as a “normal game day soreness,” but admitted that he wasn’t really sure how it actually started.
The Ames-born Burrow has a history of injuries throughout his six-year career. His previous season was cut short when he suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury while playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Due to the injury, he was limited to just 8 games in 2025, and this was not his first major setback.
Back in 2023, he suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist while facing the Baltimore Ravens. Because of this, he appeared in ten games and threw for 2,309 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
Then there was his rookie season, when he suffered a torn left ACL, PCL, MCL, and meniscus in the Week 11 game against the Washington Football Team. During that season, he started 10 games and threw for 2,688 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
The rumors about his injury surfaced because the Bengals’ training clips from yesterday showed limited participation by Burrow.
Based on those clips, multiple NFL pundits speculated it could be because of a sack by rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter. The sack occurred early in the third quarter when the Buccaneers’ defensive package consisting of Josiah Trotter, Alex Anzalone, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and cornerback Zyon McCollum, was defending against Burrow’s pocket. As the play started, Trotter found an opening straight up the A-gap. He engulfed him before Burrow could make the pass.
Or safety Tykee Smith’s late hit. While on the 70-yard, 10-play drive, Burrow scrambled up for 12 yards, and while going down, Smith took a hit on him. Neither play, however, has been established as the cause of Burrow’s back discomfort.
Meanwhile, Bengals HC Zac Taylor has also defended Burrow’s decision to use his legs on the scramble. Rather than questioning the quarterback for taking the hit, he pointed to the value of having a quarterback willing to fight for the first down.
“You want the first down, and he wants the first down, and you want a guy that’s going to fight for every yard,” Taylor said. “I think that’s what he’s proven to us is he’s willing to use his legs to get us everything we can.”
Taylor also pointed to a quarterback draw late in the first half that helped put Cincinnati in scoring position. Burrow, meanwhile, sounded just as determined when discussing what it would take to keep him off the field.
“I think every game is important. I’ll do what it takes to be out there. If I’m not having surgery, I’ll be out there.”
That is about as clear as Burrow could make it.