Joe Burrow Injury: Tentative Surgery Timeline Revealed

Burrow must undergo surgery to repair his Grade 3 turf toe injury.

Burrow exited Sunday's game with what was determined to be Grade 3 turf toe. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Joe Burrow has set a (tentative) surgery date to repair his Grade 3 turf toe injury.

If swelling allows, the Bengals quarterback will go under the knife on Friday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday, per sources.

The procedure will be held at Birmingham's Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center. Dr. Norman Waldrop, who also operated on Tua Tagovailoa's ankle and Derrick Henry's foot, will perform the operation, per Rapoport.

Dr. Norman Waldrop is set to perform the procedure, the practice's foot and ankle specialist who learned from his mentor, Dr. Robert Anderson.

Waldrop has also performed high-profile procedures on Tua Tagovailoa's ankle and Derrick Henry's foot. https://t.co/7j6VintBJp

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 18, 2025

Burrow suffered the initial injury during Sunday's 31–27 win over the Jaguars. His recovery is expected to take about three months.

It is an extremely unfortunate turn of events for the 28-year-old quarterback, who has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his NFL career, including a wrist issue that cut his 2023–24 season short.

Bengals backup Jake Browning will take over in his absence; the team also this week signed Sean Clifford and Mike White to its practice squad.

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