Quarterback Joe Burrow will not play for the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday against the New England Patriots, The Athletic reported Saturday.
Burrow, who had surgery for turf toe on Sept. 19, practiced with the team the past three days, and coach Zac Taylor said he had a decision to make about the veteran’s readiness for the visiting Patriots (9-2).
Now, the Bengals (3-7) are shifting gears, hoping he will be able to play against the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL’s primetime game on Thanksgiving.
Instead, veteran Joe Flacco, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, will start his sixth straight game. He sustained the injury in the Oct. 26 loss to the New York Jets.
Burrow played the first two games of the regular season and landed on injured reserve on Sept. 16.
“Everything is moving in a great position,” Taylor said Friday. “Now we just have to make a decision. You play a game Sunday, you play a game Thursday, you got to factor in all that stuff. He has tried to put himself in a position to be ready to go.”
The Bengals started his 21-day window for practice availability on Nov. 10, but Burrow would need to be added to the active roster by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday to be eligible for Sunday’s game versus New England.
Burrow, 28, has played in 71 career games and has a 40-30-1 record. In his sixth NFL season, Burrow has completed 68.5% of his passes for 19,190 yards with 142 touchdowns and 46 interceptions.
He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and has twice been named Comeback Player of the Year after his return from serious injuries that ended his 2020 and 2023 seasons.
