Bengals Make Final Decision on Joe Burrow's Playing Status Against Patriots

CINCINNATI — The Bengals made some of the biggest injured reserve moves of the season so far this weekend by activating Mike Gesicki off IR and onto the active roster, but Joe Burrow won't be playing for at least a few more days.

Cincinnati is holding him out of Sunday's game with eyes on playing him against Baltimore on Thursday. Joe Flacco will start against the Patriots at home this week.

"Joe Burrow (toe) will not play against the Patriots," The Athletic's Dianna Russini posted on X this morning. "League sources say that the Bengals made the decision Friday to roll with Joe Flacco for another week, with the hope that Burrow will return to the lineup Thanksgiving night against the Ravens."

Flacco has filled in admirably for him, but the defense has let this team down all season long, with safety being a big factor there. Cincinnati has a less than 3% chance to make the playoffs on ESPN's Football Power Index, with the season on the line tomorrow. They cannot afford another conference loss this season.

Gesicki's return comes at a great time, with Ja'Marr Chase missing his first game of the season due to a suspension for spitting on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey, and that will have to be enough of a boost for this team after the franchise made the hard decision to save Burrow from himself for one more game.

“He looks healthy,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said this week. “You expect it to respond great when he’s out there getting tackled — you don’t know. So every day that you can take matters with any injury, two games in five days, you have to count for that. You have to take that all into consideration.”

They have won just one game with Joe Flacco and will have to stop New England's eight-game winning streak to change that.

Cincinnati takes on the Patriots at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Joe Burrow (toe) will not play against the Patriots.

League sources say that the Bengals made the decision Friday to roll with Joe Flacco for another week, with the hope that Burrow will return to the lineup Thanksgiving night against the Ravens. pic.twitter.com/HDgPySbOYo
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) November 22, 2025

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