While not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, the Cincinnati Bengals are a paltry 3-8 on the season and poised for their worst season since 2020 or worse. So why is star quarterback Joe Burrow – fresh of a serious toe injury – coming back when there isn’t a serious path to the playoffs for the team?
That very question was poised to Burrow (in different words) and he made it clear that he is passionate about football and doesn’t want to be the kind of player who refuses to play when healthy.
“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 something may happen,” Burrow said ahead of their Thanksgiving tilt against the Baltimore Ravens.
#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
Disagreement
While Burrow may be passionate about playing, fans are passionate about playing the long game and setting themselves up for success in 2026 now that 2025 is dead in every way but mathematically.
“I respect it but the TEAM should shut him down. He is injury prone, they are out of playoff contention and the offensive line still isn’t great. Move on and build around him for next season without risking his health,” one user remarked on X.
“Sometimes you have to save a player from himself,” another wrote.
“How about you focus on your health next year? Isn’t that more beneficial for your team?” wrote a third.
Burrow suffered two season-ruining injuries in his first five NFL seasons and a third this year. The Bengals have invested significant capital in Burrow being their quarterback not just this year or even next year, but the next decade or more.
As many fans have pointed out, sometimes it’s best to save a player from their own eagerness to play when the risks are high and the stakes are low.
But if the Bengals try that, they might lose the support of their QB. It’s a delicate balance.
