The Cincinnati Bengals‘ participation in this NFL season has finally come to an end. With three games remaining, Joe Burrow‘s team no longer has a chance to make the playoffs following its home loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and many are already starting to think about what’s ahead.
Burrow, the team’s main star, addressed the situation that led to his team’s elimination, making it clear that he holds nothing against his franchise: “My comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati. My comments had to do with … football,” he said via Paul Dehner Jr.
A few days ago, Burrow made some alarming comments for the Bengals organization, hinting at a possible change in 2026. “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it.”
Bengals fans didn’t have fun on Sunday, but at least they heard their quarterback deny the idea of leaving the team even after a blowout loss. In his postgame press conference, Burrow said he still has a lot of confidence in the franchise to turn things around.
Kyle van Noy #53 of the Baltimore Ravens tackles Joe Burrow.
What’s next for the Bengals?
The Cincinnati Bengals finish their 2025 regular season with three matchups, which probably no longer carry much weight given their early playoff elimination, after loss to Ravens. They will first travel for a Week 16 contest against the Miami Dolphins in a challenging road environment.
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Following that trip, the team returns home to Paycor Stadium for its final two games, hosting the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17 and concluding the regular season with an AFC North divisional rivalry game against the Cleveland Browns. These final three games may help evaluate the team’s situation in the offseason.
