Joe Burrow Expects to Play Against Texans Despite Back Tightness

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow confirmed he is dealing with back soreness but expects to start Sunday's game in Houston.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow expects to play Sunday against the Houston Texans despite dealing with back tightness. The three-time Pro Bowler sustained the injury during a Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game in which he completed 25-of-35 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Burrow noted that he began feeling soreness in the hours following the season opener and limited his Wednesday practice activity to mental reps without making significant throws.

The injury followed a performance where Burrow was sacked once and took a hard hit while scrambling for a first down on a touchdown-scoring drive. While the Bengals quarterback is unsure of the exact moment the injury occurred, he dismissed the idea of sitting out for precautionary reasons. Cincinnati is seeking its first 2-0 start since Burrow was drafted first overall in 2020, following a three-year period in which the team missed the playoffs.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor noted the challenge posed by a Houston defense featuring edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. Burrow has a history of playing through physical setbacks, including a 2022 emergency appendectomy and a 2023 calf strain that did not result in missed snaps. This latest issue follows a previous season where a turf toe injury limited the two-time MVP finalist to just eight games.