The Cincinnati Bengals are 2-0 in the preseason and will look to end it on a high note Friday night when they travel to Philadelphia for a matchup against the Eagles.
Cincinnati took the field for practice Wednesday before departing for Philadelphia on Thursday, and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced some news regarding quarterback Joe Burrow and the rest of the starters for Friday’s game.
Bengals Announce Burrow Decision
If you’re a Bengals fan or simply a football fan hoping to see Burrow take the field one more time before Week 1 on Sept. 13, you’ll have to wait.
Burrow and the rest of the Bengals’ starters will sit out the preseason finale. They’ll instead rest and begin preparing for their first regular season matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Confirming what everyone expected: no starters on Friday in Philly,” Jeremy Rauch of Fox 19 Now reported.
Confirming what everyone expected: no starters on Friday in Philly.#Bengals @FOX19
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) August 26, 2026
Burrow’s 2026 Outlook
This is a massive year for Burrow and the Bengals as he enters his seventh NFL season.
Cincinnati has missed the playoffs in three consecutive years, largely due to Burrow’s health and a defense that has ranked among the worst in the NFL.
This offseason, the Bengals invested heavily in retooling their defense by bringing in several new players. Burrow also seems more motivated than ever to get Cincinnati back into contention, like it was in 2021 and 2022 when the team made back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances. That stretch included a Super Bowl appearance during the 2021 season, when Cincinnati lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Rams.
Burrow’s Urgent Message
Last week, Burrow told the media he’s tired of talking about next year. He’s focusing on the present and trying to manifest a Super Bowl run this season.
“I’m trying to manifest it. I’m trying to show our guys the urgency that I have and that I want us to have as an organization to go and make it happen,” Burrow told reporters last Thursday. “You can keep pushing it down the road or you can talk about it now and say, this is the year. You know, I’m tired of saying next year, next year, next year. This is it.”
Cincinnati Bengals Announce Joe Burrow Decision Before Eagles Game