Toe injuries and broken hearts: How Cincinnati Bengals fans feel it too

It was an emotional gut punch, the kind that shows how much fans can tie identities to favorite teams and athletes — and how fragile that connection can feel when heroes are suddenly, painfully human.

The injury that broke Bengals nation

Bengals fans are devastated following the news that star quarterback Joe Burrow will miss at least three months of the 2025 season after suffering a Grade 3 turf toe injury. Burrow, who was injured during a Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, will require surgery to repair the torn ligaments.

This latest injury is a major blow to a team that started the season 2-0 and had high hopes, with Burrow coming off an MVP-caliber performance in 2024.

Social media meltdown: Fans turn to community to cope

Bengals fans took to social media to express their collective frustration, with reactions ranging from heartbreak to humor to “prayer circles.”

“The Bengals are cooked,” one fan stated, capturing the mood of an entire Who-Dey nation.

“My heart is just broken,” one added.

“He can have any of my 10 toes. I don’t need them,” another joked.

“Praying for Burrow. 🙏🙏”

“Praying Joe Burrow is alright.”

“Prayers for joe burrow man. such an unfortunate career up to date with injuries.”

Mike Meyer, 49 and lifelong Bengals fan, joked about his plan to cope and remedy the situation.

“I may perform a seance tonight with my Joe Burrow life-size cardboard cutout and my Joe Burrow candles to pray for a speedy and full recovery.”

An uncertain future

Many other fans expressed fear for what Burrow’s injury could mean for the rest of the season. Despite a 2-0 start, the Bengals’ upcoming schedule raises concerns, with five of their next six games against 2024 playoff teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.

The loss of their franchise player has drastically lowered fan expectations and raised questions about whether the team can remain competitive while he recovers.

“You wait nine months for the season to start, and then it’s likely over in two weeks,” said Meyer.

Still, some fans expressed optimism, saying they have faith that backup QB Jake Browning will be able to perform in Burrow’s absence.

“We’ll be fine,” said Evan Dhelinger, a resident of Cincinnati’s East End. “He’ll be out for a few games. Jake Browning is good enough that we can skate by, and we’ll be alright.”

Hope fatigue and the ‘Not Again’ syndrome

This is the third time in six years that Burrow has sustained a significant, season-altering injury, including a torn ACL and MCL in his rookie season and a wrist injury in 2023. For Bengals fans, who’ve already lived through this, there’s a deeper emotional toll.

“It gives me tremendous happiness and now — again — tremendous sadness,” said Meyer.

Meyer said the fandom ride of being a Bengals fan comes with quite the rollercoaster of emotions.

“It’s 40 years of fandom that has yet to be fully realized with the ultimate joy,” he said. “Mostly depression.”

The silver lining?

It’s a good thing Ohio provides consistency on the college level that most football fans can depend on. The Buckeyes are 3-0, ranked No. 1 in the nation in the polls, and last season’s NCAA football national champions.

“The Buckeyes usually offer a positive optimistic counterweight to my negative Bengals energy,” said Meyer.

The psychology of fandom

Dan Wann, a psychology professor at Murray State University, has been studying the psychology of sports since the mid-1980s, with a particular interest in fans’ psychological connection to their teams.

Wann said that overall, sports team identification is good for one’s mental health in that it helps people meet basic psychological needs and gives them a sense of belonging.

The emotions that come along with it are all part of the fandom experience.

“If you were to take away the emotional response of being a sports fan, you would take away the point of being a sports fan, right?” he asked “I mean, to be a fan is to be emotional, the elation from the win, the disappointment in the loss, and every potential emotional range in between those two things.”

Wann pointed out that, “no one has perfected coping strategies quite like sports fans have perfected coping strategies.”

“We have this way of convincing ourselves that it’s all going to be okay, it’s not okay now, but it’s going to be okay in the future,” he said. “And that’s why fans, they just keep coming back. I talk to lots of fans, and they so often tell me after losses, I’m never coming back – 100% of them come back.”

The Bengals take on the Minnesota Vikings at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EST.