Bengals Make Move at Quarterback With Joe Burrow Set to Return

Burrow is expected to start on Thursday against the Ravens.

Injured Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks onto the field before the first quarter of the NFL Week 12 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals waived quarterback Sean Clifford on Monday, paving the way for Joe Burrow to return to action on Thursday night against the Ravens.

Clifford signed with the Bengals practice squad in September after Burrow suffered a grade 3 toe sprain that required surgery.

Burrow is set to return 69 days after undergoing surgery. Meanwhile, Clifford was promoted to the 53-man roster on Oct. 31 and served as Cincinnati's emergency third quarterback in three games.

Clifford, a Cincinnati native, attended St. Xavier High School. He didn't appear in a game for the Bengals. He appeared in two NFL games for Green Bay. The Packers selected him in the fifth round (149th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was waived by Green Bay in August.

The Bengals signed Clifford to the practice squad on Sept. 16. They may decide to re-sign him to the practice squad. That part of his future is unclear.

What we do know is that Burrow is expected to start on Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens and Joe Flacco will be his backup. That means Jake Browning will likely serve as the Bengals' emergency third quarterback. That means he'll dress for the game, but can only play if Burrow and Flacco both leave with injuries.

Burrow will play for the first time since Week 2 (Sept. 14).

"He's a great player," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday. "It's exciting to have him back. Obviously when you have one of the greatest players in the world coming back, there's a boost [for the team]."

The Bengals are 7-0 in Burrow's last seven starts dating back to last season. They're 1-8 without him this season.

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