Outsiders could call into question just how committed to winning certain key leaders in the Cincinnati Bengals organization are. Joe Burrow is not among that group.
The face of the Bengals franchise is a one-of-one quarterback who's already won Comeback Player of the Year twice and is coming off yet another major injury. In Burrow's absence, Cincinnati has managed only a 1-8 record since starting the season off 2-0.
Burrow is likely staring down a third straight season of no playoffs. That isn't stopping him from returning on Thanksgiving to face the Ravens in Baltimore.
When asked about why he wanted to push the timeline to return from his surgically repaired turf toe, Burrow's response epitomized why he's so beloved across Who Dey Nation.
Joe Burrow refuses to sit out for Bengals despite 1% chance at playoffs
You talk about a stone-cold competitor. Joe Burrow is that and then some. ESPN Analytics gives the Bengals a 1% chance to make the postseason. That does not matter to Joe Brrr.
An impassioned monologue from Burrow about why he's coming back to suit up for a 3-8 team is enough to get any football purist fired up.
#Bengals QB Joe Burrow on people saying he should just sit out since the team is 3-8:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 25, 2025
“I am a football player. ... I'm not gonna ever go to someone and say, ‘Yeah, I’m healthy, but I don't think I should play.' I am not going to live my life and play this game scared that… https://t.co/8okksJfCUC pic.twitter.com/7nNqU4gDKp
What more can you ask for from a quarterback?
It's such a shame that the likes of owner Mike Brown and de facto GM Duke Tobin don't take winning as seriously as Burrow. These are not the type of guys who would do the same thing in Burrow's situation. They'd go the conservative route, err on the side of caution, and not put themselves at risk when there isn't a profit to be had.
The harsh reality is that Burrow's return is too little, too late for this season. That said, he's setting a tone and reiterating the high standard he expects of the Bengals and their players and coaches.
Head coach Zac Taylor did his best to keep the offense humming with Jake Browning and then Joe Flacco while Burrow was out. Ultimately, for the third season in a row, the defense wasn't anywhere near good enough anywhere near often enough for Cincinnati to have any hope at the playoffs. Given how mediocre the Ravens and Steelers look as they sit tied atop the AFC North at 6-5, the 2025 campaign feels like all the more like an agonizing, lost opportunity.
At least the holiday should give Bengals fans some Burrow-authored fireworks. Not much else to hold onto until next September except the hope of what a healthy Burrow could do with a modicum of competence on the Bengals defense — and in the front office for that matter.