Why Joe Burrow isn't playing vs Pittsburgh Steelers tonight. Bengals fans get positive update

Joe Burrow is on the sidelines to support the Cincinnati Bengals in their Week 7 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday

Published on: Oct 17, 2025, 05:46:18 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Joe Burrow is on the sidelines to support the Cincinnati Bengals in their Week 7 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. The star quarterback, who suffered a turf-toe injury in the Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, is expected to make a comeback soon. In his absence, Joe Flacco is leading the Bengals against an Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers side.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) grimaces aft being sacked by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) (AP)

Burrow underwent surgery last month and was placed on the injured reserve list. However, on Thursday, the Bengals had some positive news on their starter.

Based on recent reports, Burrow could be back mid-December. Speaking before the Thursday night game, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Burrow is right ‘on track’ for the reported return date. He intends to be back this season.

As Flacco suits up for his second clash with the Bengals this season, coach Zac Taylor said, “We want to win. We’re hungry for it. We got to do a better job from start to finish getting that done, but there’s a lot here."

Flacco passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns in Cincinnati's 27-18 loss at Green Bay. Most of Flacco's production came after the Bengals fell behind 10-0 at halftime.

Cincinnati Bengals depth chart

Offense

WR: Ja'Marr Chase, Jermaine Burton

LOT: Orlando Brown Jr., Cody Ford

LG: Dylan Fairchild, Dalton Risner

C: Ted Karras, Matt Lee

RG: Jalen Rivers, Dalton Risner

ROT: Amarius Mims, Cody Ford

TE: Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki, Noah Fant, Tanner Hudson, Cam Grandy

WR: Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones

WR: Tee Higgins, Mitch Tinsley

QB: Joe Flacco, Jake Browning

HB: Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks

Defense

LDE: Joseph Ossai, Shemar Stewart

DT: T.J. Slaton Jr., Mike Pennel, McKinnley Jackson

DT: B.J. Hill, Kris Jenkins Jr., Jordan Jefferson

RDE: Trey Hendrickson, Myles Murphy, Cam Sample

LB: Logan Wilson, Barrett Carter

LB: Demetrius Knight Jr., Oren Burks, Shaka Heyward

NCB: Dax Hill, Marco Wilson

CB: Cam Taylor-Britt, Josh Newton

CB: DJ Turner II, DJ Ivey

S: Geno Stone, Tycen Anderson

S: Jordan Battle, PJ Jules

Special Teams

P: Ryan Rehkow

K: Evan McPherson

LS: William Wagner

H: Ryan Rehkow

PR: Charlie Jones, Jermaine Burton, Mitch Tinsley

KOR: Charlie Jones, Jermaine Burton, Samaje Perine

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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