Sportsnaut
This past offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals did everything they could to boost Joe Burrow’s odds of leading the team back to the playoffs this season. When the NFL’s leading sack leader Trey Hendrickson requested a trade, the Bengals uncharacteristically instead found a way to give their star pass-rusher a raise that kept him in Cincinnati for another season.
It looked as if Cincinnati’s efforts would pay off when the Bengals got out to a 2-0 start this season. Unfortunately, the good vibes would quickly dissipate upon learning that Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury that has cost him eight games.
While that eight-game stretch has been tough, from Jake Browning going 0-3 and Joe Flacco going 1-4, the wait for Burrow’s return to the lineup may finally be over. Burrow returned to a full practice on Wednesday, and on Thursday, his optics for Sunday’s game took another step in the right direction.
On Thursday, Burrow took snaps with the first-team offense again, “preparing him for the possibility that he could play” in Week 12 against the New England Patriots.
Burrow had initially been targeting a return for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Baltimore Ravens, so a return by this Sunday would be a bit sooner than expected. Yet, it would be very welcome for a Bengals team that still has a slim chance of catching up to the 6-4 Pittsburgh Steelers.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Maye and Stafford’s Dominance Set Tone
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