An Elite NFL Quarterback Suffers a 3rd Serious Injury

Cincinnati Bengals fans and their star quarterback just can't catch a break. Joe Burrow needs surgery after suffering a "turf toe" injury on Sunday and will be out about three months, reports ESPN. It's a familiar tune for the Bengals: "Burrow now faces the reality of three lost seasons in his first six years," notes the Athletic. A torn ACL in 2020 and a snapped wrist ligament in 2023 previously doomed him.

Burrow when healthy is an elite QB and is paid accordingly—when he signed his $275 million contract in 2023, it was the richest in NFL history. The good news for Bengals fans is that backup Jake Browning led them to victory on Sunday, notes NBC Sports. If he can keep the Bengals decent enough to make the playoffs, it sets the stage for a potential late-season return for Burrow. Still, odds-makers already have lowered the team's chances of winning the Super Bowl: They fell from +2500 to +5,000 as the news surfaced, notes Sports Illustrated.