The Cincinnati Bengals woke up Saturday expecting clarity. Instead, they got a twist.
Joe Burrow, who pushed his way into full practice earlier this week for the first time since his Grade 3 turf-toe surgery, will not be activated from injured reserve in Week 12.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday that Cincinnati will keep Burrow on IR, delaying any return until after Sunday’s matchup with the New England Patriots.
Joe Flacco starts again. Burrow waits. And the Bengals’ season now hangs on one afternoon.
This is not a setback in terms of Burrow’s health. The Bengals are 3–7 and have dropped seven of eight games since Burrow went down in Week 2. His return has been the only source of late-season hope, but Saturday’s decision forces Cincinnati into a narrow window where every outcome now matters.
Bengals Hit Pause After Burrow Took a Full Practice Load
The most surprising part of Saturday’s update is how quickly momentum built earlier in the week. Burrow took all first-team reps Wednesday because Flacco was limited with a shoulder issue. It was the clearest sign yet that Cincinnati was preparing for a potential activation.
Head coach Zac Taylor never promised anything. But actions always speak louder than his injury-report monotone. For forty-eight hours, the Bengals looked like a team bracing for the possibility Burrow might actually play ahead of schedule.
Then the brakes came on.
Rapoport’s made it clear that “Burrow’s time is coming,” but that he’s also not quite ready for full contact. Grade 3 turf toe is a three-month injury at minimum. Burrow is at the edge of that window. The team opened his 21-day practice period last week. All signs pointed toward a decision.
That decision is now tied directly to the standings.
Beat the New England Patriots in Week 12, and Cincinnati perhaps stays on the fringe of the AFC North race. Lose and the conversation shifts to protecting their franchise quarterback for the long haul.
Sunday is no longer just a game. It is leverage.
Thanksgiving vs. Baltimore Now Becomes the Target — But Only If Cincinnati Earns It
Burrow’s contract runs through 2029. His command of the offense is the foundation the Bengals have built on for four seasons. But the recurring issue is availability.
Six missed games as a rookie. Seven in 2023. Ten and counting in 2025.
Cincinnati cannot afford to turn that pattern into a long-term gaffe, which is why the decision to keep him on IR carries real weight.
If the Bengals beat New England, Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens becomes the moment the entire league circles. A divisional game. A national audience. And a quarterback returning with the season hanging by a thread.
But all of that depends on Sunday.
Another loss pushes Cincinnati out of the competitive bracket and makes the smart play obvious. The defense has been inconsistent. The roster has been stretched thin. Burrow’s return would only mask deeper issues — not solve them.
The Bengals know exactly what he offers. He cannot fix their run defense. He cannot erase the third-down numbers. But he changes the temperature of the entire building. That matters in November and December.
Burrow remains sidelined. Flacco stays under center. Cincinnati now hits the stretch where every snap decides whether the 2025-26 campaign can still be salvaged.
Win, and the quarterback window swings back open. Lose, and the Bengals must decide whether the rest of this season is worth the risk.
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