Bengals make final call on playing Joe Burrow this week after speedy recovery from toe injury

The Cincinnati Bengals have made their decision on starting Joe Burrow this Sunday after the quarterback returned to training last week. 

The Bengals face the 9-2 New England Patriots on Sunday but the team is not activating Burrow by Saturday's 4pm deadline despite his speedy recovery, according to Adam Schefter. 

The decision means that the signal caller will be unable to play against the Patriots, with veteran Joe Flacco starting under center once again. 

Burrow's official return from injury will now have to wait until Cincinnati's clash against the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving. 

Burrow has not played since suffering a Grade 3 turf toe injury in Week 2 of the NFL season. 

The quarterback returned to training early last week, just two months after he underwent surgery on his toe.

The Bengals were 2-0 when Burrow was sidelined and underwent surgery, which he revealed on social media with a caption which read: 'This game will break your heart. See you soon.'

In Week 3, Cincinnati suffered its worst loss in franchise history, a 48-10 blowout against the Minnesota Vikings with Jake Browning at QB.

Browning played again in Week 4 - a 28-3 loss to the Broncos - and Week 5 - a 37-24 loss to the Lions - before the team traded for Flacco.

Browning was benched and Flacco won his first game, against the Steelers, before back-to-back losses against the Jets, Bears and Steelers has left them 3-7 for the season.

Despite the losses, Flacco has impressed and it is instead the Bengals' defense that has let them down in recent weeks.

The hope is that Flacco, 40, can keep the season alive until Burrow's much-needed return.

It was only two years ago that Burrow missed the final seven games of the 2023 season due to a wrist injury, and his rookie season in 2020 also ended prematurely after he tore his ACL, PCL, MCL and meniscus.