CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow will not be activated in time for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday.
That means the quarterback stays on injured reserve past the 4 p.m. ET deadline, and veteran Joe Flacco will get his sixth consecutive start for Cincinnati.
Burrow had been listed as questionable after making clear strides in his recovery from the turf-toe injury that has kept him out since Week 2. The two-time Pro Bowler went full-go in practice Wednesday and Thursday before being limited Friday. Both he and head coach Zac Taylor insisted there were no setbacks during the week, and Burrow had done everything possible to give himself a chance to return.
In the end, though, Taylor elected to play it safe for at least one more week, with a short turnaround to a Thanksgiving night clash against Baltimore looming.
“You play Sunday, then you play again Thursday,” Taylor said Friday. “All of that has to be part of the equation. He’s done everything he can to be ready, but I have to do what’s best for him long-term and what’s best for the team.”
Burrow has a history of pushing aggressively to play through injuries—most notably the calf strain he tried to gut out early in 2023, only to aggravate it soon after. Taylor stressed that protecting his franchise quarterback was the priority this time.
“I know his mindset is right and he’s checked every physical box,” Taylor said. “But I still have to weigh what’s smartest for Joe and what’s smartest for us.”
Since Burrow went down in Week 2 against Jacksonville, the Bengals have dropped seven of eight games and sit 3-7. They’ll try to snap a three-game losing streak Sunday against the 9-2 Patriots with Flacco under center once again.
