Although superstar quarterback Joe Burrow recently made a triumphant and surprise return to practice, his status for the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 1 matchup with the Cleveland Browns remains uncertain. Though, his head coach is thrilled by the progress he is seeing and gave fans an optimistic update Monday afternoon.

“Today was a really good day for him. It was encouraging to see,” Zac Taylor said, per The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. Burrow will “take it day to day right now,” with no official decision being made about him suiting up for next Sunday as of yet. Still, this is deeply encouraging news, especially considering how long the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner has been sidelined with a right calf injury.

Burrow's toughness is well-documented, but he has suffered through injuries before. A torn ACL and MCL cost him half of his rookie season in 2020. He came back better and ever, instantly leading Cincinnati back into relevancy and ultimately the Super Bowl. Last season, the Pro Bowler nearly did the same before falling just short against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Article Continues Below
More Cincinnati Bengals News
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) takes to the field prior to the Ravens' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild card game.
Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey trolls Bengals over Shemar Stewart’s rookie holdoutJosh Davis ·
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor next to a silhouette of an American football player with a big question mark emoji inside. There is also a logo for the Cincinnati Bengals.
1 Cincinnati Bengals rookie who stood out most in 2025 minicampBen Strauss ·
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) warms up before the NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024.
Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase drops mic on Trey Hendrickson’s contract situationJaren Kawada ·
Cincinnati Bengals Trey Hendrickson speaks at a press conference after practice, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in Downtown Cincinnati.
Bengals rumors: How serious is Trey Hendrickson about sitting out season?Zachary Weinberger ·
Cincinnati Bengals Trey Hendrickson speaks at a press conference after practice, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in Downtown Cincinnati.
Bengals rumors: Insider offers cryptic Trey Hendrickson outlookRichard Pereira ·
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (92) tackles Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in the third quarter of the NFL game at M&T Banks Stadium in Baltimore on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
NFL makes admission about Joe Burrow’s Ravens complaintBen Strauss ·

The AFC North could be the NFL's most daunting division this year, so having Joe Burrow under center versus the Browns is critical. Taylor has the talent on both offense and defense to temporarily weather this potential storm, but the whole atmosphere changes when his fearless leader is on the field.

Fans will be anxiously checking their phones for updates on Burrow for the next week. But the fact that he has come this far in his recovery process indicates that Cincy has avoided disaster. Hopefully, Lady Luck will continue to smile favorably upon the Bengals and the face of their franchise.