The Patriots might not face Burrow after all.
Joe Burrow might return from his toe injury to face the Patriots on Sunday. AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar
November 21, 2025 | 3:25 PM
2 minutes to read
Friday brought some relatively good news for the Patriots on the injury front, and they might be avoiding Joe Burrow when they take face the Bengals on Sunday.
Burrow will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters. Meanwhile, running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) are expected to return from their respective injuries and play against the Bengals, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said. However, linebacker Jahlani Tavai will be sidelined due to a personal matter.
It appeared earlier in the week that Burrow was set to make a return sooner than expected from the toe injury he suffered in September. He was a full participant in the Bengals’ first two practices of the week, which is typically an indication that a player will play in their upcoming game.
But Burrow was limited at Friday’s practice, with Joe Flacco receiving more reps than him at quarterback during the portion open to the media, ESPN’s Ben Baby reported. Taylor later said that while Burrow “looks great,” he has to take into account that the Bengals are playing two games in five days as they face the Ravens on Thanksgiving Day.
“We’ll take the time we’ve got, assess all the practice we’ve had this week,” Taylor said. “He’s done everything he can to try to put himself and get ready to go. Now I have to make a decision on what we do.”
Burrow is still on injured reserve. So, the Bengals have until 4 p.m. on Saturday to either activate him or keep him out. His 21-day return window was opened on Nov. 10, with reports emerging at that time that Burrow was seeking to return for the Bengals’ Thanksgiving Day game.
The news of Burrow’s participation at practice this week could’ve thrown the Patriots off guard. But the team has said they’re preparing for Burrow and Flacco, who has put up strong stats despite his 1-4 record as Cincinnati’s starter.
“We’ll have to be ready for whatever happens on Sunday,” Vrabel said on Friday.
New England’s offense, meanwhile, is getting back a pair of key playmakers in Stevenson and Boutte. Stevenson was the team’s leading rusher prior this season prior to missing the team’s last three games, rushing for 279 yards and three touchdowns this season. But he’s struggled to run the ball efficiently, going for just 3.4 yards per carry this season as he also has 169 receiving yards.
Boutte, on the other hand, has emerged as a key target for Drake Maye this season. He has 23 receptions for 431 yards and a team-high five touchdowns in nine games. He suffered a hamstring injury in the team’s Week 9 win over the Falcons before missing the last two games.
Even though the Patriots were able to win without Stevenson and Boutte in recent weeks, wide receiver Stefon Diggs revealed earlier this week that he’s playing with a broken finger. Diggs won’t miss time, but the reinforcements are certainly good to have as they face a Bengals defense that ranks last in yards allowed and scoring.
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