Sources: Bengals QB Joe Burrow won’t be activated vs. Patriots
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Sources: Burrow won’t be activated for Pats game (0:52)
Sources: Burrow won’t be activated for Pats game (0:52)
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Ben BabyNov 22, 2025, 10:18 AM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will not start Sunday against the Patriots, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday.
Burrow will remain on injured reserve and not be activated by Saturday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. That means Joe Flacco will make his sixth straight start for the Bengals.
Burrow was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game after he made significant progress from a turf toe injury that has sidelined him since Week 2. The two-time Pro Bowler was a full participant at Wednesday and Thursday practices before being limited Friday. Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Burrow did everything he could to put himself in a position to play, and Burrow told ESPN there were no setbacks through the week.
However, Taylor made the decision to hold Burrow out for at least an additional week. The Bengals have two games in five days, with a showdown against the Baltimore Ravens looming on Thanksgiving Day.
«You play a game Sunday, you play a game Thursday,» Taylor told reporters Friday. «Got to factor in all that stuff. He’s tried to put himself in a position to be ready to go.»
Burrow has been aggressive in attempting to return from previous injuries. The most notable instance was his calf injury in 2023 that he played through at the start of the season and aggravated shortly afterward.
For Taylor, it was important to make a decision that is in Burrow’s best interest.
«I have to take into account what’s best for him,» Taylor said. «He’s coming back off an injury. He’s been out for a long time. I know he’s of the right mindset and has done everything he can physically. And then I have to take into account what’s the best thing for him, what’s the best thing for the team and make the soundest decision.»
The Bengals (3-7) have lost seven of eight games since Burrow was injured in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cincinnati is looking to end a three-game skid Sunday against New England (9-2).
