The Cincinnati Bengals are bracing to be without their star quarterback for the foreseeable future.Joe Burrow had to be helped to the locker room in the second quarter of the Bengals’ Week 2 game against the Jaguars. He did not return to the game, as backup Jake Browning led Cincinnati to a dramatic 31-27 victory.It was later revealed that Burrow suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury that will require surgery.A surgery for turf toe that is almost unprecedented for a quarterback in this league.When will Joe Burrow return?Burrow’s status remains uncertain, with the most optimistic timeline setting his return at three months post-surgery — sometime in December.Bengals head coach Zac Taylor spoke to the media Monday, a day after Burrow’s injury. He confirmed that Burrow will require surgery, but did not provide a timeline for his return.When asked about Burrow’s potential return this season, Taylor declined to commit either way.“I don’t want to answer anything I can’t answer right now,” Taylor said.This is Burrow’s third major injury in his first six NFL seasons.As a rookie in 2020, he tore his ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus.In 2023, he suffered a torn wrist ligament — another unprecedented injury for a quarterback, and now, another major setback.There is a chance Burrow’s 2025 season has come to an endGettyWhat is turf toe?Don’t let the name fool you. Turf toe may sound minor, but it’s often a severe and painful injury.Turf toe occurs when the ligaments around the big toe joint are injured, usually when the joint is forcefully bent upward, causing sharp pain at the base of the toe, stiffness, and limited movement.Every push-off can be extremely painful. Turf toe injuries are classified into three grades based on severity.Grade 1 involves minor stretching or microscopic tearing of the ligaments, causing mild pain and minimal loss of motion.Grade 2 injuries are more serious, with partial ligament tears that result in moderate pain, swelling, and reduced range of motion.A Grade 3 turf toe is the most serious, involving a complete tear of the ligaments.Bengals fans had hoped Burrow had avoided the most severe outcome — but unfortunately, that was not the case.Burrow is back on the shelf, a place he knows all too well. For the foreseeable future, it’s now Browning time in Cincinnati.