Burrow turf toe surgery puts Bengals' season in jeopardy

Joe Burrow underwent surgery on a turf toe injury that could end his season, the Cincinnati Bengals said Friday. Burrow sustained the injury during Week 2 in Cincinnati's win over Jacksonville after being sacked by Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead. In a post-surgery message on Instagram, the quarterback acknowledged the setback and indicated he expects to be back soon.

With Burrow sidelined, Cincinnati has tapped backup Jake Browning to run the offense. Browning played the first three quarters against the Jaguars, finishing with 241 passing yards and two touchdowns, but also throwing three interceptions. He carried that momentum into the next game against Minnesota, when he threw two more interceptions—one off a pick-six—as the Bengals were routed 48-10.

Initial reports had Burrow missing about three months, potentially returning late in the regular season. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, appearing on Fox NFL Sunday, offered a bleaker forecast, saying Burrow's return would likely come only if Cincinnati reaches the playoffs. He said Burrow fully tore a tendon, ligament and a capsule in his foot, making the rehab period difficult to predict.

At 2-1, Cincinnati will try to stay competitive against the Denver Broncos on Monday night while Burrow is out. Browning will attempt to keep the offense functional as the Bengals aim to remain in the wild-card mix.

Burrow's injury adds to a pattern of major setbacks for the quarterback. He missed the final seven games of the 2023 season with a wrist injury, and his rookie campaign in 2020 ended when he tore his ACL, PCL, MCL and meniscus.

With the NFL playoffs scheduled to begin January 10, the Bengals will be steeling themselves for a potential late-season surge if Burrow can return, but for now Cincinnati will proceed with Browning and a retooled offense as they seek to keep their postseason hopes alive.