play
Joe Burrow heads to the locker room with apparent leg injury (0:24)
Joe Burrow goes to the locker room after suffering an apparent leg injury in the second quarter. (0:24)
ESPN
Sep 15, 2025, 08:36 AM ET
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will need toe surgery that will sideline him a minimum of three months, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Burrow suffered the turf toe injury in the first half of Cincinnati's game Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Images of his left toe were sent to noted foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson to be reviewed, sources told Schefter.
With Burrow sidelined for the majority of the season, the Bengals are expected to turn to backup Jake Browning as their starting quarterback.
Cincinnati did not have another quarterback on its active roster as of Monday morning. Brett Rypien is on the Bengals practice squad, and sources told Schefter that Cincinnati has been contacting other free-agent quarterbacks in the wake of Burrow's injury.
Burrow was hurt with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter of Sunday's 31-27 home win when Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead sacked him. The play resulted in Burrow being under other players who had fallen on him.
Initially, Burrow was limping as he tried to leave the field. But after a couple of steps, he went down on the turf.
Burrow had a lengthy evaluation in the blue injury tent before attempting to walk to the locker room. However, Burrow stopped roughly 15 feet short of the tunnel that leads beneath the stadium as he sought assistance from athletic trainers to make it back inside.
Burrow was originally listed as questionable to return before being ruled out. He never returned to the field and was in a walking boot and on crutches after the game.
In his place, Browning led the Bengals to a comeback victory, capped by his 1-yard leap over the goal line with 18 seconds left in the game.
Burrow, the No. 1 draft pick in 2020, had season-ending injuries in 2020 (knee) and 2023 (wrist) that caused him to miss a combined 13 games. He also played through a calf injury suffered in training camp ahead of the 2023 campaign.
In 14 games without Burrow as their starter, the Bengals are two games under .500 and average just under 20 points per contest.
ESPN's Ben Baby contributed to this report.
