Joe Burrow's Status for Rest of Season Revealed by Bengals HC After Injury Recovery

The Cincinnati Bengals were officially eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday, but don't expect quarterback Joe Burrow to be shut down as the team's season winds down.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters on Monday that Burrow is expected to play in the final three games:

Burrow made his long-awaited return on Thanksgiving Day for Cincinnati's game against the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens. He hadn't played since suffering a toe injury in Week 2 that required surgery. He threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-14 win.

He has played in three games since returning, including Sunday's 24-0 loss to the Ravens. The Bengals (4-10) were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.

Burrow was expected to miss at least three months of action, but he had his practice window opened on Nov. 10. He was a full participant in two practices leading up to the Bengals' Week 12 matchup against the New England Patriots, but he returned to a limited status that Friday and ultimately didn't play in the game.

In Burrow's absence, the Bengals turned to longtime backup Jake Browning before trading for veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco. While Flacco was a slight improvement, the team still struggled without its franchise quarterback, going 1-8 since Burrow's injury.

While the Bengals don't have a shot at the playoffs at this point, the team appears to be set on having him start the rest of the season as it looks to finish the year on a high note.