Joe Burrow is poised for a comeback. Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced on November 24 that Burrow, 28, is expected to return as quarterback on Thanksgiving night after recovering from a turf toe injury sustained in week 2.
Burrow confirmed his return in a lighthearted manner. He took to Instagram to repost a famous mirror selfie originally shared on Snapchat in 2014, featuring himself as a high school student wearing a snug Cavaliers No. 23 jersey—a cherished item he received at age nine. Over the image, he simply wrote, “he’s back.”
Since his last appearance in the Bengals’ victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 14, the team has struggled significantly, posting a dismal 1-8 record without him.
Amidst these challenges, some analysts have suggested that the Bengals should consider sidelining Burrow for the remainder of the season to prevent further injury. However, Coach Taylor disagrees.
“He’s worked really hard to get himself back,” Taylor stated following the Bengals' loss to the New England Patriots on November 23. “He’s a football player. He wants to play football. We want to win football games, so that will lead into that decision.”
On November 24, Taylor expressed confidence in Burrow’s readiness, stating he is “in good shape right now and will be ready to go.” Should Burrow take the field, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will step in as his backup.
“There’s a balance there of obviously him coming off of injury,” Taylor elaborated. “You want to be very mindful of that. A lot of that will be up to him as he feels his pocket movement and play style.” He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the game, emphasizing that while precautions are necessary, some situations are unavoidable. “It’ll be in his hands to take care of it if he’s out there,” he added.
Burrow himself expressed eagerness to return for the Thanksgiving matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, which he described as “meaningful” during a press conference on November 10.
He also shared the emotional toll of watching from the sidelines as his team faced defeat, calling it “lonely.” “You try to do what you can and just grind by yourself in the weight room and in the training room when trying to get right,” Burrow explained. “There’s not much more you can do. You’re not out there with the guys; you’re not at practice, so return from injury is pretty lonely.”
The highly anticipated game between the Bengals and Ravens is set to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 27, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
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