Will Joe Burrow play today's game against the Texans? Latest injury update on the famous Bengals QB

Joe Burrow came out of Cincinnati's Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with something he did not feel during the game itself. Back tightness crept up in the hours after the Bengals' 33-27 win, and by Wednesday, Burrow was listed as limited on the practice report. For a quarterback with his medical history, even a minor entry on the injury report is enough to get fans in Cincinnati holding their breath. Sunday's road trip to Houston now carries a small but real layer of uncertainty around it.Will Joe Burrow play today's game against Texans?Yes, Joe Burrow will play against the Houston Texans today. He dismissed the idea of sitting out for precautionary reasons as flat-out "ridiculous," and made clear he has no intention of missing the game. "I think every game is important," Burrow said at his Wednesday press conference. "I'll do what it takes to be out there. If I'm not having surgery, I'll be out there."Burrow is not entirely sure when he picked up the back issue but says soreness started settling in during the hours after Sunday's game. He was sacked just once but also took a hard shot while scrambling for a first down on a play that eventually led to a touchdown.By Thursday, Burrow was spotted going through his pre-practice throwing routine in full shoulder pads and helmet during the media-accessible portion of practice, which was an encouraging sign pointing toward full participation. So the trajectory has been positive since Wednesday's limited session.Burrow said he is unsure whether he will be able to practice for the full week, but he called it "ridiculous" to think the back issue would force him to sit out Sunday's game.What does Joe Burrow's injury history mean for Bengals fans?This is where the question gets a bit more layered. Burrow's injury history is a sensitive subject in Cincinnati. The franchise quarterback has missed significant time in three of his six NFL seasons, was forced out for most of last season due to a toe injury suffered in Week 2, and is understandably the most valuable player in the Bengals' organization.That's the part that sits in the back of every Bengals fan's mind, no matter how confident Burrow sounds. Last season's turf toe started in Week 2. A wrist injury ended his 2023 campaign in Week 11. The pattern of early-season setbacks is hard to ignore, even if Wednesday's back tightness looks far less serious.Burrow appeared to be in good shape in Sunday's opener, completing 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown, even as he threw a pick-six along the way. The performance itself was not the problem. It was what the body felt afterward.He faces a Texans defense that is still viewed as one of the league's fiercest units, despite allowing a strong performance from Josh Allen in the season opener. Burrow going into that matchup less than 100 percent is not ideal, but based on everything out of Cincinnati this week, he is expected to be on the field when the Bengals and Texans kick off.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.