He walks into the stadium wearing a suit that costs more than most people's cars, holding a coffee cup like it's a scepter. You know the look. It’s "Joe Cool." But if you actually look at the 2025 season that just wrapped up for the Cincinnati Bengals, the swagger is starting to meet some pretty harsh reality.
Joe Burrow is arguably the most talented pure passer in the league, yet he spent a huge chunk of this past year on the sidelines again. It’s becoming a pattern that Bengals fans are terrified to talk about out loud.
The Turf Toe Disaster and the 2025 Season
Honestly, the season started with so much promise. Burrow was coming off a 2024 campaign where he absolutely torched the league, throwing for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. He was the Comeback Player of the Year for the second time. People were saying the wrist injury was a thing of the past. Then, Week 2 happened against the Jaguars.
A Grade 3 turf toe injury sounds like something you’d get playing beach volleyball, but for an NFL quarterback, it’s a nightmare. It required surgery. It sidelined him for nine games.
While Burrow was out, the Bengals looked like a completely different team, and not in a good way. They went 1-8 during that stretch. When he finally returned on Thanksgiving night against the Ravens, he looked sharp—throwing for 261 yards and two scores in a 32-14 upset—but the damage was already done. The Bengals finished 6-11. They missed the playoffs for the third straight year.
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That’s the Joe Burrow experience in a nutshell: brilliance interrupted by the trainer's room.
By the Numbers: Burrow’s Weird 2025 Stats
When he was actually on the field, Burrow was still "him." Even in a shortened eight-game season, he put up numbers that some starters would kill for over 17 games.
- Completion Percentage: 66.8%
- Passing Touchdowns: 17
- Interceptions: Only 5
- Passer Rating: 100.7
If you extrapolate those 17 touchdowns over a full season, he’s hitting 36 or 37 scores easily. He still has the highest career completion percentage in NFL history at 68.6%. The talent isn't the question. It’s the availability.
The $275 Million Elephant in the Room
The Bengals signed Burrow to a five-year, $275 million extension back in 2023. At the time, it made him the highest-paid player in history. In 2026, his salary cap hit is going to jump to nearly $48 million.
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That is a massive chunk of change for a guy who has only played three full seasons out of six.
Managing an NFL roster is basically a giant game of Tetris. When one block—the quarterback—takes up 16% of your total cap space, every other block has to be perfect. The Bengals' defense ranked dead last in most categories last year. Why? Partly because they can't afford to pay top-tier free agents when they're saving every penny for Joe and Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase is still a beast, by the way. He made First-team All-Pro again in 2025. But even the best receiver in the world can't win games if the defense is giving up 30 points a night and the quarterback is wearing a walking boot.
Is the Offensive Line Still the Problem?
We’ve been hearing the same story since his rookie year. "Protect Joe."
The Bengals have spent millions and used high draft picks to fix the line, but Burrow still got sacked 17 times in just eight games this year. That’s more than twice a game. Some of that is on the scheme, some is on the blockers, and—to be fair—some is on Joe holding the ball too long trying to make a play.
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What the Experts Are Saying
If you talk to guys like Nick Shook at NFL.com or the analysts over at PFF, they still rank Burrow in the top tier. PFF gave him a 91.3 passing grade for 2025, which was second among all QBs.
But there’s a growing sentiment that the "Elite" window is shifting.
While Joe was rehabbing his toe, younger guys like Drake Maye in New England and Jayden Daniels in Washington were lighting it up. Maye actually eclipsed Burrow in several season-end rankings. There’s a new guard coming, and Joe is starting to look like the veteran who's fighting his own body as much as the opposing secondary.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The Bengals have the 2026 NFL Draft to look forward to, but they won't be picking a quarterback. They are tied to Joe until at least 2028 before there's any realistic "out" in his contract.
The focus for this offseason has to be two-fold:
- Defensive Overhaul: You can't have the 32nd-ranked defense and expect to win the AFC North, even with a healthy Burrow.
- Mobility Adjustments: When Joe came back in Week 13, he was playing with a metal plate in his shoe. He wasn't scrambling. The Bengals have to evolve their playbook to a "quick-strike" offense that doesn't require him to move like Lamar Jackson.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season:
- Roster Building: Watch for the Bengals to prioritize interior defensive linemen and a veteran safety in free agency. They need to stop the run to give Burrow more possessions.
- Scheme Change: Expect more 12-personnel (two tight ends) to provide extra protection for Burrow’s lower body.
- Injury Prevention: The team likely limits Burrow's preseason snaps to zero. At this point, keeping him bubble-wrapped until September is the only viable strategy.
Joe Burrow remains the heartbeat of Cincinnati. When he’s on, he’s the best in the world. But as we head into 2026, the city isn't just asking if they can win a Super Bowl—they're asking if their superstar can stay on his feet long enough to try.