The Cincinnati Bengals are back to work this week following their bye week, needed to stack some wins if they want to make a return to the postseason. Cincinnati’s home stretch continues Sunday at Pittsburgh, where the Bengals will look to sweep the season series against the Steelers. As the week’s preparations begin, the Bengals announced some positive news regarding their franchise player: Joe Burrow was advanced to return to practice in a limited capacity.The move allows the sixth-year signal caller to begin to progress to on-field activities.According to the team, Monday’s designation begins a 21-day period during which he may begin limited practice with the team without counting against the 53-player active roster.He can be activated to the roster any time over the next 21 days.”I think he’s ready for this part of the recovery,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said during his weekly press conference Monday. “To come back in a limited basis and progress it on the field with the players. I think he’s in a good spot.”Prior to Cincinnati’s Thursday night game against the Steelers, NFL insider Ian Rapoport said Burrow was “on track” for a mid-December return.”He is on track, doing well, has had no setbacks,” Rapoport said on the evening of Oct. 16. “If this continues in this direction, he should be back on the field mid-December, and has told people close to him that he absolutely intends to be back.
“Taylor did not provide an official timeline for Burrow’s return when speaking to the media after Burrow’s surgery, but it was widely speculated that he would need at least three months for recovery.Monday, he said things are on track for what the organization had mapped out.”Internally, this was always a good timeline for us,” Taylor said. “He’s worked really hard to get to this point, to get back on the field in a limited form. So, I’m excited to get him out there today.”Cincinnati will slow-roll Burrow’s recovery, with Taylor saying they’re not looking at playing him Sunday against the Steelers. Any timeline regarding Burrow’s return to the field is “beyond this week,” he said. As for what practices will look like for Burrow, Taylor says the plan is “truly week-to-week,” but he won’t be in 11-on-11 drills, at least to start. “This is just day one. We’ll start with day one: Just get out there, throwing routes to receivers, and then start progressing that way. We’ve got this great opportunity for these next couple of weeks for him to start inching his way forward and getting ready to see when he could play for us. “We haven’t seen him yet out there on the field. We’ll get through this first week, approach next week, and see where we end up after that.”Burrow sustained a turf toe injury in Week 2 against Jacksonville and underwent successful surgery in late September. Monday’s designation by the Bengals puts Burrow in line to return, at the earliest, by Week 14 in Buffalo (Dec. 7).Sitting at 3-6 after the bye, Cincinnati has eight games left on their schedule. They’ll close November at Pittsburgh, at home against New England (Nov. 23) and at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night (Nov. 27).In the event Burrow returns in December, he’d face the Bills, Baltimore (Week 15), Miami (Week 16), Arizona (Week 17) and Cleveland (Week 18).Despite their struggles since Burrow was injured, most of which have more to do with the defense than the offense, the Bengals are still alive in the AFC North race, sitting two losses behind the Steelers and one loss behind the resurgent Ravens.
CINCINNATI —
The Cincinnati Bengals are back to work this week following their bye week, needed to stack some wins if they want to make a return to the postseason.
Cincinnati’s home stretch continues Sunday at Pittsburgh, where the Bengals will look to sweep the season series against the Steelers.
As the week’s preparations begin, the Bengals announced some positive news regarding their franchise player: Joe Burrow was advanced to return to practice in a limited capacity.
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New: Joe Burrow (toe) will practice today in a limited capacity.
Clears the runway for a return to the field in December. pic.twitter.com/Aguj6rL7Kr
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) November 10, 2025
The move allows the sixth-year signal caller to begin to progress to on-field activities.
According to the team, Monday’s designation begins a 21-day period during which he may begin limited practice with the team without counting against the 53-player active roster.
He can be activated to the roster any time over the next 21 days.
“I think he’s ready for this part of the recovery,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said during his weekly press conference Monday. “To come back in a limited basis and progress it on the field with the players. I think he’s in a good spot.”
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/db7yUnHLO7
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 10, 2025
Prior to Cincinnati’s Thursday night game against the Steelers, NFL insider Ian Rapoport said Burrow was “on track” for a mid-December return.
“He is on track, doing well, has had no setbacks,” Rapoport said on the evening of Oct. 16. “If this continues in this direction, he should be back on the field mid-December, and has told people close to him that he absolutely intends to be back.”
Taylor did not provide an official timeline for Burrow’s return when speaking to the media after Burrow’s surgery, but it was widely speculated that he would need at least three months for recovery.
Monday, he said things are on track for what the organization had mapped out.
“Internally, this was always a good timeline for us,” Taylor said. “He’s worked really hard to get to this point, to get back on the field in a limited form. So, I’m excited to get him out there today.”
Cincinnati will slow-roll Burrow’s recovery, with Taylor saying they’re not looking at playing him Sunday against the Steelers. Any timeline regarding Burrow’s return to the field is “beyond this week,” he said.
As for what practices will look like for Burrow, Taylor says the plan is “truly week-to-week,” but he won’t be in 11-on-11 drills, at least to start.
“This is just day one. We’ll start with day one: Just get out there, throwing routes to receivers, and then start progressing that way. We’ve got this great opportunity for these next couple of weeks for him to start inching his way forward and getting ready to see when he could play for us.
“We haven’t seen him yet out there on the field. We’ll get through this first week, approach next week, and see where we end up after that.”
Burrow sustained a turf toe injury in Week 2 against Jacksonville and underwent successful surgery in late September.
Monday’s designation by the Bengals puts Burrow in line to return, at the earliest, by Week 14 in Buffalo (Dec. 7).
Sitting at 3-6 after the bye, Cincinnati has eight games left on their schedule. They’ll close November at Pittsburgh, at home against New England (Nov. 23) and at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night (Nov. 27).
In the event Burrow returns in December, he’d face the Bills, Baltimore (Week 15), Miami (Week 16), Arizona (Week 17) and Cleveland (Week 18).
Despite their struggles since Burrow was injured, most of which have more to do with the defense than the offense, the Bengals are still alive in the AFC North race, sitting two losses behind the Steelers and one loss behind the resurgent Ravens.
