Joe Burrow sidelined at least three months with turf toe; specialist explains injury and recovery outlook
Doctor of physical therapy says turf toe disrupts push-off mechanics of the big toe and that a 12-week return is aggressive but possible for a quarterback
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will miss a minimum of three months after suffering a turf-toe injury in the second quarter of the team’s Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a setback that puts the remainder of his 2025 season in jeopardy.
The club announced the timeline hours after Burrow left Paycor Stadium on Sept. 14, 2025, after his left big toe was caught in artificial turf during a play. Turf toe, despite its informal name, can damage the soft tissues under the big toe and impair an athlete’s ability to push off the ground, medical specialists say.
Tom Christ, a doctor of physical therapy who founded the Fantasy Injury Team website, described turf toe as “a disruption, or an injury, with the tissues on the underside of the big toe,” and said the structure is critical to walking, running and generating force from the ground up. “Turf toe is a disruption to those tissues to where they are no longer restraining the toe from just extending all the way upwards, and therefore, they're no longer providing a firm base of push-off,” Christ told Fox News Digital.
In play-by-play video of the injury, Burrow’s left cleat appears to stick in the artificial surface, forcing the big toe into hyperextension. Christ said such events are more common on artificial turf because the surface lacks the give of natural grass, which can dissipate force and reduce the likelihood of the toe being pinned.
The Bengals’ three-month minimum absence aligns with a range of outcomes for turf-toe injuries. Recovery depends on the severity of the damage, which can range from stretched ligaments and tendons to complete tears, and on whether surgery is required. Conservative treatment—rest, immobilization, physical therapy—can take several weeks to months. Surgical repair, when necessary, extends the timeline.
Christ called a 12-week return “aggressive” but “not impossible,” noting factors that may work in Burrow’s favor: the injury is to his left toe, and quarterbacks generally perform fewer full-speed sprints than other skill-position players. “Out of any position in football, a quarterback is the position that probably could return the fastest with his injury,” he said. “Being a position that does the least amount of sprinting—of course he has to be mobile in the pocket—so Burrow could play at, like, half his mobility.”
Even limited mobility, however, could affect offensive performance and protection. Christ cautioned that pain and mechanical instability—where the toe extends beyond a normal range and no longer provides a solid base—can undermine a player’s ability to plant and throw with full force, and can alter cutting and escapability in the pocket.
The timing of the injury—early in the season—raises roster and strategic questions for the Bengals and has immediate implications for fantasy football and betting markets that reacted swiftly. The team must now balance the medical timetable with on-field needs and the risk of aggravating the injury by returning too soon.
Turf-toe injuries increased in prevalence as artificial playing surfaces became more common, according to Christ, who said the turf’s reduced give concentrates force on the toe when a cleat grips. Preventive measures in some programs include equipment choices, tape or orthotics, and training adjustments to reduce hyperextension risk, but no approach eliminates the danger entirely.
Medical teams will evaluate Burrow’s progress through imaging and functional testing to determine whether conservative measures are sufficient or if surgical intervention is required. The club’s initial three-month estimate gives a baseline for recovery, but the actual timeline will depend on the extent of soft-tissue damage and Burrow’s response to treatment.
The Bengals did not immediately provide further medical details beyond the minimum absence. The team will provide updates as testing and treatment progress, and any change in status will influence both the team’s game plans and roster decisions heading into the midseason stretch.