Burrow Likely Out Until Postseason After Surgery

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow posted an Instagram message — “This game will break your heart. See you soon.” — after undergoing surgery to repair a Grade 3 turf-toe sustained in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Surgeons repaired torn ligaments and while initial timelines suggested roughly three months, reports from Adam Schefter and others now say a late‑season return is unlikely and he may not be ready until the postseason or could miss the 2025 season entirely. In his absence backup Jake Browning has started, showing flashes but struggling in a 48–10 Week 3 loss to the Vikings (19-of-27, 140 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs), and Cincinnati prepares to face the Broncos on Monday Night Football. At 28, Burrow has been among the NFL’s elite — he led the league in 2024 with 4,918 yards and 43 TDs — but his Bengals tenure has been repeatedly disrupted by major injuries including a torn ACL/MCL as a rookie and a 2023 wrist injury. His Instagram post signaled determination to rehab and return, but the team and fans must brace for an uncertain, possibly extended recovery timeline.