Biggest Question Facing Joe Burrow Ahead of 2026 Season Surfaces

ESPN's Dan Graziano broke down the biggest question surrounding each NFL team's starting quarterback this coming season, and Joe Burrow's is pretty easy to pluck for Cincinnati.

It's all about health this fall after Burrow's gone through brutal injuries for a good chunk of his career so far.

Can He Stay Healthy?

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is injured on a play in the second quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. The Jaguars led 17-10 at halftime. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The Bengals return all 11 offensive starters. They spent the offseason beefing up a defense that has been the main reason for their recent underachievement," Graziano wrote. "They are the only team in their division that did not change head coaches this offseason. And their schedule ranks the third easiest in the league, based on the 2025 record of their opponents. It is all set up for Burrow & Co. to finally return to the postseason, and maybe even make another run at the Super Bowl title that eluded them five seasons ago. But as great as Burrow is when he's on the field, he has to do a better job of staying there. He has missed at least six games due to injury in three of his six NFL seasons. He missed nine last year.

"The Bengals have had well-documented pass protection issues during Burrow's time in Cincinnati, but he also hasn't always been the best about protecting himself. Burrow is surrounded by high-level talent on offense, including the league's best wide receiver tandem in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. If the defensive additions bring that unit back to respectability and the offense continues to hum, this is a dangerous team. But it's on Burrow to answer the bell for every game."

It's a fair major question as Burrow enters this season having played in 35 of a possible 51 games over the past three regular seasons.

He told Men's Journal recently that he feels great on the health front.

“I’m feeling great. I’m feeling as healthy as I’ve ever felt, which is exciting for me. It’s been a while since I felt that way,” Burrow said. “A big part of that is how my body feels on a day-to-day basis. Waking up and going to the bathroom, walking downstairs. And when my body feels good, my mind feels good."

Burrow has been elite basically every time he suits up when healthy for the Bengals, as evidenced by his nasty 96 overall Pro Football Focus grade for his career (higher than names like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson).

If he can stay healthy this fall, Cincinnati is primed to make some playoff noise for the first time since 2023.

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