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Joe Burrow speaks at press conference after returning to practice

Joe Burrow speaks at press conference after returning to practice on Monday November 10, 2025.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow won’t play against the New England Patriots on Nov. 23, The Enquirer can confirm. Several reports surfaced on Nov. 22 that Burrow won’t be activated before the game.

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will start his fifth game for the Bengals and Jake Browning will be Cincinnati’s backup quarterback against New England.

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The Bengals must activate Burrow from the injured reserve list before he can play. Burrow fully participated in two of the team’s three practices this week and tried to make it back for Cincinnati’s upcoming game against the Patriots. He was listed as questionable to play on the team’s injury report on Nov. 21.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Burrow did everything he could this week to get himself ready to play. “I think Joe has done everything he can to put himself in a position to get back,” Taylor said on Nov. 21. “We are just going to keep taking our time on this one. I feel comfortable waiting as long as we can to make this decision.” 

Taylor ultimately decided to sit Burrow at least one more game. Burrow suffered his Grade 3 turf toe injury on Sept. 14 and underwent surgery on Sept.19.

“He’s done everything he can,” Taylor said. “Everything is moving in a great position. 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 and we’ll try to make a decision later.”

After a week full of speculation that Burrow could play in Week 12, the attention will now go to Cincinnati’s next game on Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Burrow publicly shared how meaningful the chance to play on Thanksgiving would be in his first press conference since the injury on Nov. 17. The Bengals will have to wait and see how the next few days go to see if Burrow’s wish comes true and he can make his return to the field in Baltimore on Nov. 27.