Just when the Cincinnati Bengals were starting to have hope that they could turn an ugly 2-0 start into a lengthy winning streak, Joe Burrow goes down with an injury.
It happened with nine minutes remaining in the second quarter with the Jacksonville Jaguars leading the Bengals 14-7, when Burrow’s left ankle got grabbed while being sacked. Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning came in to relieve Burrow as the latter limped to the locker room with the assistance of two members of Cincinnati’s staff.
It should be noted that Burrow was able to initially put weight on his legs. Later, the Bengals revealed that Burrow is dealing with a left toe injury and he is no longer putting any weight on his foot. Burrow is believed to have suffered a turf toe injury, and he could even be dealing with torn ligaments.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, surgery is a possibility for Burrow. If he does go under the knife, he’s looking at what could be a three-month absence. Obviously, that is the worst-case scenario for Burrow’s Bengals.
Joe Burrow stayed down after a sack with trainers focusing on his ankle. He's headed to the medical tent. pic.twitter.com/nRwKaiK1wj
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 14, 2025
Burrow was trying to walk under his own power to the locker room but halfway through realized he couldn't and put both his arms around the trainers before continuing into the tunnel.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 14, 2025
Source: Joe Burrow just finished in the MRI room. Was using a one-legged scooter to get back to the locker room with his left leg propped up as to not put any weight on it.
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) September 14, 2025
It was the second time Burrow was sacked in the game. Browning then came in and took a sack on his first drive, showing that the Bengals’ offensive line is still an issue. Injuries have been a common drawback for the Bengals in recent years. Burrow himself has suffered two season-ending injuries.
Burrow’s day was done after just over a quarter of play, meaning he’ll finish completing 7-of-13 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, despite being a former undrafted signee, Browning, 29, offers upside as a player who’s completed 70.3% of his passes. He also has a 4-3 record in the NFL, all coming with the Bengals. Still, with only 243 career passing attempts, Browning doesn’t have a ton of actual NFL game experience, but he managed to get a win against the Jaguars today.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: See Where Joe Burrow Ranks
