How long is Joe Burrow out? Turf toe injury to sideline Bengals QB long-term

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How long is Joe Burrow out? Turf toe injury to sideline Bengals QB long-term

Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Sep 15, 2025 ·

3 min read

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The Cincinnati Bengals saw one of their worst fears come to pass during their Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars . Star quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a significant injury.

Burrow was hurt in the first half of the Bengals victory after he was sacked by Arik Armstead . It appears Burrow's foot had jammed into the ground while he was brought down, and he remained down on the field for a moment while Cincinnati's medical staff tended to him.

Burrow was eventually taken to the locker room without putting much weight on his injured left foot. He did not return to the game, and after it, reports emerged the Bengals star had suffered a turf toe injury that is expected to sideline him long-term .

Here's what to know about Burrow's injury, how long it will keep him out of action and how the Bengals will look to replace him.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

(Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images)

Week 1: The New England Patriots' Robert Spillane (14) and Christian Elliss (53) tackle Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Raiders won the game, 20-13.
(Bob DeChiara, Imagn Images)

Week 1: New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) fumbles the ball on a tackle by Washington Commanders safety Will Harris (3) during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. It was a rough Giants debut for Wilson (17 of 37 passing for 168 yards) as the Commanders won the game, 21-6.
(Peter Casey, Imagn Images)

Week 1: Fireworks go off before the NFL Kickoff Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the season with a 24-20 victory over their longtime NFC East rivals.
(Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

How long is Joe Burrow out?

Burrow is expected to miss a minimum of three months because of a turf toe injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter . The star quarterback will have surgery to repair the ailment.

Schefter had reported Sunday night that images of Burrow's injury were being sent to Dr. Robert Anderson for review.

Meanwhile, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Burrow was dealing with turf toe. Rapoport added the fear was that the Bengals quarterback had suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury , something that would require surgery.

Burrow had exited the stadium in a walking boot and was on crutches following the Bengals' win over the Jaguars.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor did not provide an update on Burrow's status during his postgame news conference.

"Nothing right now, to be truthful with you," Taylor said when asked if he had any additional information on Burrow's injury. "We got such a tight game. I didn't get all the information yet."

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Joe Burrow injury update

Burrow a toe injury in the Bengals' Week 2 game against the Jaguars. The injury occurred as he was tackled from behind and grabbed by the foot.

Burrow remained down after the injury and required help getting to the sideline. Eventually, he walked into the locker room with assistance from Cincinnati's medical staff, though he was unable to put much weight on his left leg.

Burrow was originally deemed "questionable" to return because of the injury. He was later downgraded to "out" and was seen using a one-legged scooter after getting an MRI during the game, per Fox19 Now's Joe Danneman .

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Who is the Bengals backup QB?

Jake Browning is the Bengals backup quarterback and will likely start as long as Burrow is sidelined.

Browning, 29, entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Washington in 2019. He has been wtih the Bengals since 2021 and has made seven starts, all of which came in relief of Burrow during the 2023 NFL season.

Browning went 21-of-32 passing for 241 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in relief of Burrow against the Jaguars while adding a touchdown on a 1-yard sneak. He has a career record of 4-3 as a starter and has completed 69.8% of his career passes for 2,177 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Bengals QB depth chart

The Bengals have just three quarterbacks in their organization at present. They are as follows:

Joe Burrow
Jake Browning
Brett Rypien (practice squad)

The Bengals are likely to add another quarterback with Burrow's absence being of the long-term variety, per ESPN's Adam Schefter . They have already begun calling free-agent quarterbacks and will likely sign one to add extra depth behind Browning and Rypien.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How long is Joe Burrow out? Turf toe injury update, latest news