Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury during the Cincinnati Bengals’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, and the star quarterback will now be sidelined for a lengthy period of time.
Burrow injured his toe when he was sacked on a third-down play midway through the second quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was swarmed by Jaguars defenders on the play and brought down by his feet, with multiple players falling on his lower body.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Burrow is dealing with a Grade 3 turf toe injury, which means he has torn ligaments in his foot. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback is expected to undergo surgery and be held out of football activities for at least three months.
From @GMFB: A thorough explanation of #Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s reality, with surgery the most likely option and a long road ahead. But his season may not be over. pic.twitter.com/mEEmWXSuKr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2025
While Rapoport says the injury is not necessarily season-ending, three months would mean Burrow remains off the field until the middle of December, at the earliest.
There are different severities with turf toe injuries, and Burrow’s is the worst. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is dealing with a more minor version of the same injury and is expected to return much sooner than Burrow.
Burrow has dealt with multiple significant injuries in his career, which is why he has already been named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year twice. He will now miss the majority of a season in which the Bengals were expected to have one of the best offenses in all of football.
Fans were quick to point the finger after Burrow sustained his latest injury.
The Bengals improved to 2-0 with their win over the Jaguars on Sunday. Jake Browning is in line to start for them now, though they will likely pursue other veteran quarterback options via free agency or trade.
