Joe Burrow injury history: A timeline of Bengals QB's missed games, from 2020 knee tear to latest toe injury

Daniel Mader

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Joe Burrow injury history: A timeline of Bengals QB's missed games, from 2020 knee tear to latest toe injury image

While Joe Burrow has been one of the NFL's best passers since his career began, he also has spent some significant time off the field.

The Cincinnati Bengals star, who has been in the spotlight ever since his 2019 Heisman Trophy and 2020 national championship run at LSU, has struggled with injuries at various points. For the most part, Burrow has shined, even leading the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021. But Burrow has also gotten fairly beat-up in the process, including two previous season-ending injuries in the NFL.

Burrow's injury history dates back to a wrist fracture he sustained while still at Ohio State; since entering the NFL, the quarterback has also faced a growing list of setbacks.

Here's a full breakdown of Burrow's injury history, from his time at Ohio State and LSU to the Bengals.

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Joe Burrow injury history

Hand wrist fracture, Aug. 2017, Ohio State

Burrow hurt his throwing hand in 2017, when he was a redshirt sophomore at Ohio State. Burrow suffered a broken bone in his right hand during practice, resulting in an operation to repair the fracture. 

He missed the start of the 2017 season, and became the backup to J.T. Barrett upon his return.

Torn rib cartilage, Jan. 2020, LSU

Later on, when Burrow was then a member of the LSU Tigers, he led the squad to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game as a redshirt senior. But in the big game against Clemson, Burrow dealt with torn rib cartilage after being hit by Clemson linebacker James Skalski near the end of the second quarter.

Still, Burrow played through the pain, tossing the rock for 463 yards and five touchdowns, with an additional rushing score, in a dominant victory to claim the title. This injury didn't result in any missed time for Burrow.

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Torn ACL, PCL, MCL & meniscus, Nov. 2020, Bengals

The first long-term injury of Burrow's career came in his rookie NFL season. In Week 11, he went down against Washington after being hit by two defenders; Burrow's knee buckled, and he was diagnosed with an ACL , MCL, PCL and partial meniscus tear.

Burrow underwent surgery in December 2020, completing rehab by the verge of the 2021 season.

He returned for Cincinnati's 2021 season-opener, and then won the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year award after a 34-touchdown regular season with the Bengals going 10-6.

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Dislocated finger, Dec. 2021, Bengals

After a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in December 2021, Burrow told reporters that he dislocated his pinkie finger during a sack.

However, that ailment didn't result in any missed time for Burrow, as he went on to throw for 348 yards in the following game.

MCL sprain, Feb. 2022, Bengals

In the playoffs following the 2021 NFL season, Burrow was playing some of his best football, leading the Bengals on a run to the Super Bowl. But in the big game against the Los Angeles Rams, Burrow was sacked by edge rusher Von Miller and immediately began clutching his knee in the fourth quarter.

He did finish the game, but it was a 23-20 loss for Cincinnati. In Week 17 of the regular season a few weeks prior, Burrow had strained his knee; the Super Bowl injury was a grade 2 sprained MCL, but Burrow recovered in the offseason and didn't miss time in for it in 2022.

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Calf strain, July 2023, Bengals

One of Burrow's more minor ailments was in July 2023, when he sustained a calf strain in his right leg during practice. He did not miss any time with the injury.

While there was initial concern for Burrow, it wound up being a less-severe ailment.

Torn wrist ligament, Nov. 2023, Bengals

In the 2023 season, Burrow suffered a torn wrist ligament in his throwing hand in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. Burrow said he felt a “pop” after throwing a touchdown pass in the game. He then missed the remainder of the 2023 season.

Burrow came back in a big way from the wrist injury in 2024, throwing for 43 touchdown passes to win his second Comeback Player of the Year award.

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Turf toe, Sept. 2025, Bengals

In a Week 2 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2025 season, Burrow exited with what the team called a toe injury. The apparent injury came when he was sacked on second down midway through the second quarter, and Burrow remained on the ground for a few moments before going to the locker room.

Burrow reportedly got an immediate MRI and was using a scooter with his left leg propped up while in the locker room. Jake Browning entered the game in his absence.

Burrow was later diagnosed with turf toe, per Ian Rapoport. The turf toe injury is forcing Burrow to miss a "minimum" of three months, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, as the Bengals QB will be undergoing surgery. 

Daniel Mader

Daniel Mader is a Content Producer for The Sporting News. He joined SN in 2024 as an editorial intern following graduation from Penn State University. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, the Centre Daily Times, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Daily Collegian and LancasterOnline. Daniel grew up in Lancaster, Penn., with a love for baseball that’ll never fade, but could also talk basketball or football for days.