Turf toe recovery timeline in NFL: How Joe Burrow's injury compares to other players, impacts Bengals future
originally appeared on The Sporting News

Two weeks into the 2025 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals find themselves with serious concerns about their prospects for the remainder of the season.

While the Bengals are out to an impressive 2-0 start, they've lost franchise quarterback Joe Burrow in the process, as he went down with an injury in the first half of a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. After initial tests on his ankle area, Burrow was determined to have a serious turf toe injury in his left foot.

Turf toe is a fairly common injury in NFL players, but the time missed largely depends on the severity. As most signs indicate that Burrow is dealing with a severe issue, Cincinnati is on high alert.

Here is what to know about Burrow's injury and what it means for him and his role in the Bengals' pursuit of contention in 2025.

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Joe Burrow injury details

Burrow has been diagnosed with turf toe, according to multiple reports. Burrow sustained a Grade 3 injury, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero and it will require surgery, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A Grade 3 turf toe injury is the worst possible designation, as it indicates there are torn ligaments in Burrow's toe.

Turf toe is a sprain in the big toe joint. It is also known as a metatarsophalangeal joint sprain. The name is derived from its prevalence when teams played on artificial turf surfaces, but it can also occur on grass.

Cincinnati's Paycor Stadium has a FieldTurf CORE system.

As explained by the Cleveland Clinic, turf toe occurs "when your toe remains on the ground and your heel lifts, causing your toe to hyperextend." The motion causes soft tissues and ligaments in the big toe joint to stretch or tear.

Burrow's injury occurred when he was sacked in the second quarter of Cincinnati's Week 2 win over Jacksonville.

MORE: How Jake Browning led game-winning drive in place of Joe Burrow

Turf toe recovery time in the NFL

The recovery time from a turf toe injury is dependent on the severity of the injury.

Specific to Burrow, the fear is that he suffered a Grade 3 injury, which would necessitate surgery and hold him out for at least three months.

With his injury coming in Week 2 of the NFL season, Burrow could return to the field by the end of the season, but Cincinnati's place in the AFC standings could influence how it approaches the return of its 28-year-old franchise QB.

Turf toe grades

In alignment with other joint sprains, the severity of turf toe is classified by three different grades.

Grade 1

A Grade 1 turf toe injury occurs when the soft tissue in the toe is stretched, but not torn. Grade 1 turf toe injuries result in sensitivity in the area, and sports participation heavily depends on pain tolerance.

Grade 2

A Grade 2 turf toe injury occurs when there is a partial tear in the toe's soft tissue. Pain is more intense in a Grade 2 issue, and it is a serious hindrance to sports participation.

Grade 3

A Grade 3 turf toe injury means the soft tissues in the toe are completely torn, and that the toe joint may be dislocated. With Grade 3 turf toe, the pain is severe, and participation in sports is highly unlikely due to a lack of mobility.

MORE: The latest updates on how much time Brock Purdy could miss with toe injury

Notable NFL players with turf toe

Burrow's turf toe injury happened exactly one week after a similar injury sustained by 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy has been reported to have a "turf toe variant," and has been given a loose return timeline that could be as many as five weeks or as few as two weeks.

A 2023 study from The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery dives into the frequency with which turf toe injuries happen in NFL players.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was hampered by turf toe in Super Bowl 55, and Davante Adams is among a host of star receivers to be plagued by the injury.

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