Back in Week 2, Cincinnati Bengals franchise quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a torn ligament in his toe, an injury initially expected to sideline him until at least mid-December. However, Burrow appears to be progressing at a rapid pace. The Bengals activated him off injured reserve on Monday, opening a 21-day window for him to return to practice. Within that span, the team will need to add him back to the active roster if the plan is for him to return to game action.
According to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, Burrow is targeting a “Thanksgiving-ish” return. This could potentially line him up to play in three weeks on Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens.
With Cincinnati currently sitting at 3-6, their margin for error is slim if they hope to remain in the hunt for the AFC North—a division that remains wide open.
Despite the challenges, quarterback Joe Flacco’s demeanor and leadership since arriving in Cincinnati have clearly impressed Burrow. Speaking about the veteran signal-caller during his Monday press conference, Burrow said:
“He’s playing great. He’s putting the ball where it needs to go. He’s been accurate with it, getting the ball out. The O-line has been playing great. We’ve been running the ball really well over these last couple of weeks. That’s been exciting to see. And, obviously, our guys on the outside are making plays like they always do.”
Burrow added, “He’s fun to be around. He’s quiet sometimes. I think we have that in common. He’ll throw some off-the-wall stuff out there every once in a while that I like, that makes me laugh. He’s fun to be around. I’m happy that I’ve been able to have this experience and watch him do his thing and see how he operates.”
Through his four starts for the Bengals, Flacco has completed 65.4% of his passes for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
However, if Burrow is healthy enough to return to the field, it’s a no-brainer who Cincinnati must move forward with at quarterback, especially considering they made Burrow one of the highest-paid players in NFL history back in 2023.
When healthy, Burrow has proven to be one of the league’s elite quarterbacks, leading the Bengals to multiple AFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl berth in 2021. He’s coming off the best statistical season of his career in 2024, but injuries have continued to plague him throughout his career.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nfl/bengals-joe-burrow-speaks-out-on-joe-flacco-after-returning-to-practice-11030542