The 2025 campaign is going to go down as another failure for the Cincinnati Bengals. Things went off the rails quickly after star quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury back in Week 2 that caused him to miss the majority of the campaign. While he has recently returned to action, Cincy’s playoff hopes evaporated in Week 15 after they suffered a 24-0 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens.
Over the past few days, Burrow has made some intriguing comments, seeming to indicate that he is considering his future with the Bengals. While a lot would have to happen in order for Burrow to find his way to a new team, rumors have begun swirling that indicate Cincinnati is beginning to feel the pressure of what figures to be a wildly important offseason.
Joe Burrow Puts Bengals on Notice with Recent Comments
Burrow and the Bengals announced themselves as one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL in 2021 when they made it all the way to the Super Bowl, taking down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs along the way. Since then, though, Cincy has just one playoff appearance to show for, as it cannot figure out how to consistently win football games.
The hard truth of the 2025 campaign is that Burrow’s injury sank this season before it could ever really get off the ground. With so much money invested in Burrow and his wide receiver duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, if one of these guys is unable to play, that makes winning games incredibly difficult, as we have seen time and again this season.
Even with Burrow getting back on the field, he’s only won two of his three starts since returning to action. Simply put, this team is not good enough to compete for titles on a consistent basis, and the lack of winning is beginning to take its toll on Burrow. After he seemed to openly contemplate his future with the Bengals, a recent report indicated that the front office is starting to feel the weight of Burrow’s comments.
“My understanding of Burrow’s statements … this has been putting a little pressure on the front office and ownership to be aggressive this offseason,” Ian Rapoport said on “NFL GameDay.”
Bengals Need to Revamp Roster Over the Upcoming Offseason
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 14: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Cincinnati’s roster is wildly unbalanced, and it may be time to change that this offseason. While spots like quarterback and wide receiver are accounted for, other areas are left woefully thin. The defense really only has one star player, Trey Hendrickson, and he’s also missed the majority of the season with his own injury woes. A big reason why Burrow has struggled to stay healthy, too, is that the front office has invested virtually nothing into the team’s offensive line.
Rebalancing the roster around Burrow is going to be key this upcoming offseason. Putting together a strong draft would certainly help, but it may be time to consider moving on from guys like Higgins and Hendrickson. Whatever Cincinnati has done over the past few seasons isn’t working, and if it keeps trending in the wrong direction, it could risk losing its franchise quarterback.
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