Joe Burrow wasn't at his best in the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as he threw a pick-six and couldn't get on the same page as star wideout Ja'Marr Chase. But he still completed over 71 percent of his throws for 254 yards and helped his team score 33 points.
Burrow's value cannot be overstated, which is why all Bengals fans can do is hold their breath now that Burrow is listed as questionable for Sunday's Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans with a back injury.
Is Joe Burrow playing today? What the Bengals said
As scary as a questionable designation is, Bengals fans should look beyond that. After being limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Burrow was a full participant in Friday's practice, making it far more likely that he'll be able to play in Sunday's contest. "He practiced in full today," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. "He feels good."
Beyond Taylor expressing his vote of confidence, just look at what Burrow had to say about whether he'd be playing in this game. "I think every game is important," Burrow said. "I'll do what it takes to be out there. If I'm not having surgery, I'll be out there."
That should be good enough to relieve some stress. Anything can happen, which is presumably why Burrow has the questionable designation, but Burrow practicing in full and feeling good almost certainly means that he should be good to go. He's not undergoing surgery, and he sure seems motivated to play whenever he can, which makes a ton of sense given his injury history.
Bengals QB depth chart if Joe Burrow can't play
While Burrow sure seems likely to play in this game, nothing is guaranteed. If by some off chance he's ruled out, here's a look at what the depth chart at the quarterback position looks like.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
QB1 | Joe Burrow |
QB2 | Joe Flacco |
QB3 | Josh Johnson |
As unfortunate as Burrow missing any sort of time would be, the Bengals are fortunate to have one of the best backups in the sport behind him. Sure, Joe Flacco isn't the Super Bowl-caliber quarterback he once was with the Baltimore Ravens, and he could be susceptible to the occasional interception, but he also played well for Cincinnati in 2025.
The 41-year-old completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,664 yards and 13 touchdowns compared to four interceptions in nine appearances (six starts). Now, the team went 1-5 in those six starts, but they also lost twice in games in which the Bengals scored 38 points or more. Their defense was laughably bad last season, and while there are still questions about that side of the ball in 2026, they were able to force four turnovers in Week 1.
The Bengals elevated Josh Johnson from the practice squad, which makes sense whether Burrow is able to play or not. Johnson, a 40-year-old veteran who has played in 10 NFL seasons and made two appearances with the Bengals in 2013, will be Flacco's backup, making it unlikely that he'll see the field in Week 2, especially if Burrow is able to play.
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