Joe Burrow injury update: Bengals QB returns to practice after toe surgery

The Cincinnati Bengals’ season was derailed by the turf toe injury that Joe Burrow suffered in Week 2. That would later require surgery, which seemingly would sideline him for the rest of the season. However, now it looks like he could possibly return.

Burrow returned to practice on Monday. According to a report by Adam Schefter, this is going to be in a limited capacity. So, while he won’t be playing in games just yet, he is taking steps to improve.

This comes a little under two months since Joe Burrow had his surgery on the turf toe. Notably, Ian Rapoport reports that he remains on injured reserve and is having his practice window opened. That practice window opening is key. The Bengals now have 21 days to activate Burrow. That means a return to play in early December is on the table.

When Burrow initially suffered his injury, the estimate was that it would take about three months for him to recover. That was on September 14th. With Cincinnati’s first game in December coming on December 7th, it would come a little under that initial three month timeline. At the same time, his return could come even sooner than that. Jay Glazer reported that Burrow told him he’s ahead of schedule and set his timeline as being “by Thanksgiving.” That’s after many experts didn’t think he could return before the playoffs.

At the time, there was also concern that his season was over. That’s something that Adam Schefter stressed at the time.

“Joe Burrow needs toe surgery,” Adam Schefter said in September. “He is out a minimum of toe surgery. It is official, he is going to have that toe surgery, and he is going to be lost. Now, the question will be whether he’ll be back this season, but there’s a real possibility that Joe Burrow has played his last down this season for the Bengals.”

The quarterback position has become a major concern for Cincinnati. In Joe Burrow’s place, the Bengals initially turned to Jake Browning. However, amid poor play, they made a trade for Joe Flacco. However, he’s had some of his own health concerns too.

In all of this, the Bengals currently sit at just 3-6 on the season. That’s good for third in the AFC North, which is being led by the 5-4 Pittsburgh Steelers while the surging Baltimore Ravens are now in second place. Cincinnati, meanwhile, has lost two games in a row that they want to have back and six of seven games since Burrow was initially injured.