Bengals Lose Cam Taylor-Britt to Potential Season-Ending Foot Injury

The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2025 season has been defined by injuries, and the trend continued with another significant setback on the defensive side of the ball. Already navigating the prolonged absence of quarterback Joe Burrow, Cincinnati now faces the likelihood of losing a key member of its secondary.

Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is expected to undergo Lisfranc surgery, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed this week. The procedure would prematurely end his season and remove one of the team’s most talented defensive backs from a unit already struggling.

Taylor-Britt suffered the injury late in the first half of the team’s Week 11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He did not return to the field, and the organization now believes his final snaps of the season have already been played.

The timing could not be worse for a Bengals defense that has had difficulty stopping opposing offenses, particularly through the air. With Taylor-Britt heading toward free agency at the end of the year, Sunday’s first half may have been his last appearance in a Cincinnati uniform.

1. Injury and Timeline

Taylor-Britt’s injury occurred in the closing moments of the first half against Pittsburgh, a game in which he had been expected to handle a sizable role in the secondary. He remained on the sideline for the rest of the afternoon, and further evaluation revealed the severity of the foot issue. Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters the cornerback is “likely” headed for Lisfranc surgery, a procedure that typically requires months of recovery and effectively ends a player’s season. The announcement came as little surprise after Taylor-Britt failed to return to the game and was seen in visible discomfort. The Bengals had been hopeful that early testing would show a less serious concern, but the diagnosis confirmed what the team feared: another key contributor would be sidelined long-term. For a team already reeling from injuries, the loss compounds an already difficult stretch. With eight games played before the injury, Taylor-Britt will finish the season far short of the role he was initially expected to carry.

2. Taylor-Britt’s Role and Future

Through eight appearances this season, Taylor-Britt recorded 21 tackles and five passes defended, showing flashes of the playmaking ability that emerged in 2024. He entered the year poised for an expanded workload after posting a career-high 16 passes defended and three interceptions last season. However, that breakout never materialized. Taylor-Britt was surprisingly made a healthy scratch for the team’s first meeting with the Steelers, signaling an early-season struggle to secure consistent snaps. Still, his athleticism and physicality remained valuable depth in a secondary facing major questions. Now, with the injury likely ending his season, Taylor-Britt is heading toward free agency at an uncertain moment in his career. The Bengals may opt to reshape their secondary in the offseason, and it’s unclear whether the fourth-year cornerback will be part of that plan. If Sunday’s first half was indeed his final time wearing a Bengals uniform, Taylor-Britt leaves Cincinnati having delivered several meaningful performances, offset by the frustration of injuries and inconsistency.

3. Impact on the Bengals’ Defense

Cincinnati’s pass defense has been vulnerable throughout the 2025 season, and losing Taylor-Britt only intensifies the pressure on a unit that has struggled to slow opposing quarterbacks. Through Week 11, the Bengals rank near the bottom of the league in pass defense, giving up 257.3 yards per game. While Taylor-Britt was not featured as prominently as he was in 2024, his ability to defend vertical routes and play physical coverage made him an important rotational option. His absence will likely force Cincinnati to rely more heavily on inexperienced corners and adjust its coverage schemes. The Bengals’ secondary had already been searching for answers as big plays and coverage breakdowns continued to plague the team in recent weeks. Now, with one fewer veteran available, the challenge grows even more difficult heading into a demanding stretch of the schedule. As the team navigates the final third of the season, the loss of Taylor-Britt underscores the broader theme of a year derailed by injuries — impacting both the team’s competitiveness and its long-term defensive outlook.