“Doesn’t Make a Lot of Sense”: Joe Burrow Dismisses Fans’ Calls to Delay His Return for Extended Rehab

Joe Burrow has finally decided to return after months of recovering from a turf toe injury.

Fans don’t want him to rush his return now and suggest spending more time to get better, as the Bengals are sitting at 3-8. With six games left, they hold a one percent playoff chance according to ESPN Analytics.

However, Burrow has already dicthed their wish and is planning a comeback very soon.

Joe Burrow Opts for Practice Over Fans’ Demand

The franchise quarterback had surgery on September 19 to fix a turf toe and is returning nearly a month ahead of the rehab schedule.

He has missed nine games since the Week 2 injury, which was expected to keep him out until mid-December. But his left toe has fully healed, and that’s all he needs to get back on the field.

“I understand why people feel that way, but if you look at it from my perspective, I’m a football player,” Burrow said to those who think the QB needs to sit out. “If I get hurt, I’m going to go through the rehab process and then I’m going to let everybody know when I feel like I can go out there and play”.

“I don’t really know what else to say about that. I’m not ever going to go to somebody and say, ‘Yeah, I’m healthy, but I don’t think I should go out there and play.’ That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me”.

#Bengals QB Joe Burrow on people saying he should just sit out since the team is 3-8:

“I am a football player. … I’m not gonna ever go to someone and say, ‘Yeah, I’m healthy, but I don’t think I should play.’ I am not going to live my life and play this game scared that… https://t.co/8okksJfCUC pic.twitter.com/7nNqU4gDKp

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 25, 2025

“I’m not going to live my life and play this game scared of something happening”.

The signal-caller addressed his injury history directly. “Yeah, I’ve had injuries. There’s not a lot I can do about that. I worked really hard to have that not happen”. “But what I can do is when it does happen, I can control how I’m attacking my rehab and attacking practice and doing everything in my power to get back as quickly as possible. And that’s what I did”.

Burrow has suffered from major injuries in four of his six NFL seasons, including missing the last seven games of 2023 with a torn ligament in his right wrist. It is safe to say he has made rehab a routine part of his career.

But for now, the quarterback dismissed any idea of riding the pine for safety, saying simply, “Cleared means cleared.”

Bengals’ Slim Playoff Hope Hinges on Near-Perfect Finish

Burrow admitted Cincinnati likely needs to win out to keep any postseason hopes alive. They trail the 6-5 Ravens in the division by three games and are also three back of the Steelers.

But the Chargers, Jaguars, and Bills all hold the AFC’s three Wild Card spots with a 7-4 record. With just three wins, the Chargers are certainly not on an easy path to the playoffs. Even if they win all six remaining games, making the playoffs would still require very good luck. He irony? They literally have to pray so that other teams lose.

Sportsbooks give the Bengals a 4.8 percent chance to make the playoffs based on their odds at DraftKings. PFSN’s Playoff Predictor currently gives the Bengals a 0.80 percent chance of making the postseason.

Plus, their schedule is not going to help them much. In the next three weeks, they play the Ravens twice and the Bills once. All of these teams are strong playoff contenders.

The Bengals faced a similar situation last season, winning their final five games to finish 9-8 but falling short of a wild-card spot due to other teams’ better records. They are facing a familiar challenge again.

His return likely gives the offense its best shot, but he can’t do anything with the disastrous defense. Fans really don’t have any idea about what is going on in his head, but he is returning.