The 2025 NFL season has not gone as planned for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow suffered a turf toe injury back in Week 2 and was forced to miss nearly 3 months of time as he recovered from surgery. The Bengals missed him dearly, as they won just 1 of 9 games in his absence. Burrow returned to the field on November 27th, and despite the Bengals being eliminated from playoff contention, the franchise no plans to sit him during the finals 2 weeks of the regular season.
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It's unfortunate to see Burrow's 2025 season plagued by injuries once again, which has been a common theme throughout his NFL career. However, Burrow's toughness is still receiving high praise from his opponents.
Fred Warner speaks very highly of Joe Burrow's toughness
Appearing on The Ryen Russillo Show earlier this week, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said that Joe Burrow is the toughest QB in the NFL.
Fred Warner says Joe Burrow is the toughest QB in the league pic.twitter.com/44CUaCJprl
— The Ryen Russillo Show (@TheRyenRussillo) December 26, 2025
"He's just a dog. For whatever reason his makeup is different than a lot of these guys in this league and so my hat's off to him. You talk about competitive spirit, he's got it through and through. You can see why guys rally around him and it's something that makes him special."Fred Warner
Not only can Burrow take a hit like it's nothing, but he has proven he can bounce back from significant injuries on multiple occasions. His turf toe injury earlier this season is just the latest significant injury for Burrow in his NFL career.
Back during his rookie season, Burrow tore his ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus in Week 11, and missed the rest of the season. He dislocated his pinky in 2021 and suffered an MCL sprain in 2022. In Week 11 of the 2023 season, Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist and would miss the rest of the season.
Despite several crushing injuries and missing significant time in his pro career, Burrow has been resilient. The LSU Heisman Winner and National Champion was named AP Comeback Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2024.
Burrow's turf toe injury in Week 2 sent Cincinnati's season flying off the rails. After starting 2-0 with Burrow at the helm, the Bengals went a measly 1-8 without him. The Bengals are 2-2 since Burrow's return, and are coming off a 45-21 victory over the Dolphins in Week 16. Burrow and the Bengals are set to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17 this Sunday, December 28. Kick-off is slated for 1:00 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.