The Cincinnati Bengals are taking a new approach to preseason football in hopes of getting out to a fast start in 2025.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters on Tuesday that Joe Burrow and other starters will play in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Taylor said the plan is for Burrow to play multiple series and see even more action in Cincinnati’s second preseason game against the Washington Commanders next week.
#Bengals coach Zac Taylor tells reporters that QB Joe Burrow and other big name players will play several series on Thursday night and more in game two against the #Commanders. New way of doing it, with eyes on starting fast.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2025
Burrow has played sparingly or not at all during the preseason through the first five years of his NFL career. Taylor has chosen that approach either because Burrow has been recovering from injuries or to eliminate the risk of the star quarterback suffering a new one. There were also no preseason games in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Bengals have started 0-2 or worse in each of the past three seasons. Burrow has said he would like to get more preseason reps and even take some hits so he can more easily transition into the grind of the regular season.
Burrow threw for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdown passes last season, which were both career highs. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award for the second time in his career after he missed much of the 2023 season with a wrist injury.
The Bengals finished 9-8 in each of the last two seasons and missed the playoffs. With the AFC North expected to be competitive again, a fast start could be the difference between making and missing the postseason. Taylor is hoping his new approach will lead to better results out of the gate.
