Thanksgiving week is here, but the NFL isn’t taking any time off. While we have three games on Thursday and another on Friday, let’s take a look at all the latest happenings around the league as we enter the holiday season and the home stretch of the regular season. We’ve got a new candidate to…
Thanksgiving week is here, but the NFL isn’t taking any time off.
While we have three games on Thursday and another on Friday, let’s take a look at all the latest happenings around the league as we enter the holiday season and the home stretch of the regular season.
We’ve got a new candidate to be considered as the NFL’s Iron Man. Daniel Jones has suffered a fractured fibula, but the Indianapolis Colts quarterback plans to play through the ailment, NFL Media reported.
It’s unclear when Jones suffered the injury. However, he has been on the injury report with a lower leg injury in recent weeks.
Jones has been a major reason why the Colts are off to a surprise 8-3 start this season. He’s fourth in the league in passing yards (2,840), to go with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s also rushed for five touchdowns this season.
Bengals activate Joe Burrow
The Bengals have announced that they activated quarterback Joe Burrow from injured reserve, completing his comeback from turf toe surgery that was expected to keep him out for significantly longer. Burrow will be active for Thanksgiving’s game against the Ravens
Burrow has started just two games for the Bengals in 2025, as he exited during Week 2 against the Jaguars. In his place, Cincinnati has deployed Jake Browning and Joe Flacco, with Brett Rypien also appearing in one game.
The Bengals are just 3-8, tied for third in the AFC North with the Browns. The Ravens are 6-5 and tied for first in the AFC North – the Bengals might be just 3-8, but Burrow’s return could have playoff implications for Baltimore.
Packers remove injury designation from Jacobs
Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been dealing with a knee contusion that caused him to miss last week’s game against the Vikings, but Green Bay has removed his injury designation before their Week 13 matchup against the Lions, according to NFL Network.
McCarthy participates in limited practice
Vikings’ quarterback J.J. McCarthy was placed in the concussion protocol at the start of the week, but has progressed enough at this point that he was able to be a limited participant in practice today, per NFL Network. Vikings’ coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters as much following the practice, as well as that Max Brosmer took all of the first-team reps – if McCarthy isn’t ready to go for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, then it would be Brosmer starting at QB.
The Dallas Cowboys‘ No. 1 wide receiver this season wasn’t listed on the Nov. 26 injury report and will be active for the team’s Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pickens didn’t practice on Monday and was limited on Tuesday due to a “knee/calf” issue. The fourth-year receiver, who’s in his first season with the Cowboys, leads Dallas in receptions (67), receiving yards (1,054) and receiving touchdowns (eight) this season. The receptions and touchdown total are each career bests for Pickens. Over the Cowboys’ last two games, Pickens has averaged nine receptions for 145 yards and one score per contest. Dallas has won back-to-back games, now standing at 5-5-1.
Burrow fully practices on Tuesday
Joe Burrow is on track to return for the Bengals’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Ravens, and that was confirmed with his practice activity on Tuesday. Burrow was a full participant.
Moehrig suspended without pay for hitting Jennings
Carolina Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig has been suspended one game without pay for punching San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings in the groin during Monday’s game.
Moehrig may appeal the suspension under the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. A hearing would be heard by Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson, the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline.
Moehrig will be eligible to return to the Panthers’ active roster next Monday.
“[Moehrig] took a cheap shot and hit [Jennings] in the balls, and I was real proud of Jauan for not losing his mind out there and getting to the sideline,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said of the incident after Monday’s game.
Rodgers could return vs. Bills
Aaron Rodgers and his broken left wrist could play on Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Buffalo Bills.
The 41-year-old Rodgers practiced in a limited capacity last week, but ended up watching Pittsburgh’s 31-28 loss to Chicago from the sideline in sweatpants after Steelers coach Mike Tomlin decided to make Rodgers inactive and start Mason Rudolph instead.
Tomlin called the decision to sit the four-time MVP a “prudent” one but declined to get into specifics. There seems to be a far greater chance of Rodgers returning when Pittsburgh (6-5) tries to snap out of a midseason funk against the Bills (7-4) in a game that could have serious playoff implications for both teams.
“We’re comfortable with the general trajectory (of Rodgers),” Tomlin said.
Tomlin made the final call to sit Rodgers against Chicago on Saturday. He isn’t sure if he will keep the window open a little longer this time around.
Pacheco set to return for Chiefs’ Thanksgiving game
The Kansas City Chiefs could have Isiah Pacheco in the backfield when they visit the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that he expects his top running back to return from a knee injury that cost him three games for the matchup on Thursday. Pacheco started the first eight games of the season and has 329 yards rushing and a touchdown.
“We’ll see how he does today,’ Reid said before the first official practice of the short week, “but we’ll get him in there. He’ll play. How much, I can’t tell you that right now. See how it goes.”
Pacheco returned to practice last week but was held out of Sunday’s overtime win over the Colts, when Kareem Hunt carried a career-high 30 times for 104 yards and a touchdown — a heavy workload for him with a short period of recovery.
Neither quarterback Patrick Mahomes nor his running backs will likely have right guard Trey Smith helping them out on Thursday. He missed practice with an ankle injury on Tuesday, and it is almost certain that Mike Caliendo will be called upon to start in his place.
Bengals’ Burrow officially set to return
After months of anticipation, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is expected to take the field in Week 13 against the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Zac Taylor announced.
The news comes a day after FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Burrow would likely be ready to make his return on Thanksgiving. Cincy’s QB1 has been out of the lineup since suffering a turf toe injury in Week 2.
Daniels returns to practice, unlikely for Broncos
Jayden Daniels returned to practice for the Washington Commanders on Monday after missing the past two games with a dislocated left elbow, but coach Dan Quinn said the reigning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is unlikely to play next weekend against the Denver Broncos.
Daniels hurt his elbow in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2, when his non-throwing arm bent awkwardly as he braced himself while being tackled in the fourth quarter. Washington already was down by 31 points at the time, and Quinn acknowledged the next day that it was a mistake to still have his starting QB in the game. Tests showed that Daniels tore ligaments in the elbow but did not need surgery.
Washington is 1-4 with backup Marcus Mariota starting at quarterback. He has thrown for seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
Also back on the field for the Commanders were starting receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. McLaurin has missed seven of the past eight games with a quad injury; Brown has missed all but two games this season and has been on injured reserve since Oct. 15 with a groin injury. Washington opened Brown’s 21-day practice window on Monday.
Bengals WR Chase Issues Apology for Week 11 incident
Ja’Marr Chase issued an apology on social media Monday for spitting on Jalen Ramsey during the fourth quarter of the Cincinnati Bengals‘ 34-12 Week 11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 16.
Chase was suspended by the NFL for the Bengals’ Week 12 game against the New England Patriots. His statement of apology was addressed to his team, the Bengals and Steelers organizations and the NFL community, but the star wide receiver did not mention Ramsey by name.
“Please know I am speaking from my heart when I say I take full responsibility for my actions during last Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh,” Chase said in the statement, which was posted on social media. “What I did was wrong. The circumstances don’t matter. My passion for the game is no excuse. There’s zero place in our sport or in life for that level of disrespect. I want to personally apologize to everyone within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. I let my emotions in the moment get the better of me.’
Chase added: “This has been a tough season with some incredibly hard losses. We’ve all been frustrated. But instead of stepping up with calm, class and leadership, I let you down. My having to sit out yesterday’s game makes my actions even more inexcusable.”
Minnesota placed McCarthy in concussion protocol, putting his availability for the upcoming game against the Seahawks in question. McCarthy first reported symptoms during the team’s travel home from its 23-6 loss against the Packers, head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday. The medical staff made the decision to put him in protocol after returning to Minnesota, O’Connell said. O’Connell declined to answer specific questions about the severity or nature of McCarthy’s symptoms. He did not rule McCarthy out for this Sunday but said rookie backup Max Brosmer would step in with the first-string offense in practice this week until or unless McCarthy is cleared.
With 10th-year veteran Carson Wentz out for the rest of the season following shoulder surgery, the only other quarterback on Minnesota’s roster is John Wolford, a 30-year-old journeyman on the practice squad. McCarthy has started and appeared in just six games in 2025, as he was at first limited by an ankle injury suffered in Week 2 that kept him out until Week 9. In the four games since his return, McCarthy has seven interceptions against four touchdowns, with a 52.5% completion rate and 628 passing yards. The Vikings (4-7) are last in the NFC North.
K Justin Tucker gets first tryout since suspension, Ravens release
The Saints will host the ex-Ravens kicker for a tryout this week, NFL Media reported. It’s Tucker’s first tryout since Baltimore released him in May, which came months after 16 massage therapists accused Tucker of sexual misconduct. Tucker received a 10-game suspension from the league in June after its investigation into the matter. He became eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11. Tucker, 36, is one of the most accomplished kickers in NFL history. He has been named first-team All-Pro five times and set numerous franchise records over his 13 seasons with the Ravens, but he also struggled in his final season in Baltimore, making a career-low 73.3% of his kicks in 2024.
The Saints, meanwhile, could be on the search for a new kicker after Blake Grupe missed two more kicks in their loss to the Falcons on Sunday. Grupe has made just 69.2% of his kicks this year.
Giants fire defensive coordinator Shane Bowen
The Giants are making another coaching change, letting go of Bowen on Monday morning following the team’s 34-27 overtime loss to the Lions on Sunday, NFL Media reported. Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will reportedly serve as the interim defensive coordinator. New York’s switch came after it blew another 10-point lead in a road game this season, marking the fifth time it has done that this year. The Giants also gave up 494 yards to the Lions, negating the 517-yard day they had on offense to fall to 2-10 on the season.
Following Sunday’s games, New York ranks 30th in total defense, giving up 385 yards per game this season. It’s also 30th in scoring defense, allowing 27.8 points per game. The move also comes two weeks after the Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has served as the interim coach, with the Giants making two strong upset bids against the Packers last week before Sunday’s loss to the Lions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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