Is Joe Burrow Using Crystals To Heal His Foot Injury?

On September 14, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a metatarsophalangeal joint sprain and has been sidelined ever since. According to the Wikipedia page for the injury—more commonly known as turf toe—treatment usually consists of ice, elevation, and maybe some custom orthotics. It does not, notably, say anything about crystals, the colorful rocks that witchy types and New Mexican hippies hold near and dear.

Recently, however, TikTok user Madison Ceola discovered that the swagged-out quarterback had either acquired, cultivated, or stumbled upon a large tower of crystals. Burrow blasted out a photo of the stack to his 4.1 million Instagram followers, completely devoid of context, sending the small intersection of NFL fans and Wiccan-adjacent girlies abuzz.

What’s most striking about the image Burrow posted to his story is the sheer volume of crystals. There are 16 different crystals visible in the mix here. Burrow’s photo depicted a tiered pyramid of multi-colored orbs—some large, some small, all sick—leading to one crystal to rule them all: a rotund, milky looking spheroid at the top. In order to find out what might be going on here, I needed to consult with an expert. Lisa Stardust, the astrologer at the Today Show, who also moonlights as a tarot card reader, energy healer, manifestation guide, and life coach, identified the crystals for me. “It looks like his crystal grid is arranged in a way that balances the seven chakras,” Stardust pointed out, before adding some of her own speculation. “Some patterns are based on sacred geometry or personal experience. When doing it, an intention is set—in this case it would be to heal his toe.”

The big dog atop Burrow’s grid is selenite, which Stardust explained “removes negativity and allows one to reset their vibe with mental clarity.” As for the crystals that might serve healing purposes, she highlighted the small chunks of amethyst and turquoise, with the former being “great for pain relief and calmness” and the latter often “used for strength and stamina.”

Sabrina Garcia, the owner of the California-based Sabruja’s Crystal Shop, added that rhodonite (a pink manganese that earned a spot on the bottom rung) is sometimes known as the first aid stone. It’s a “wound healer, heart healer,” Garcia said. “Promotes emotional stability and fosters loving energy.” This might be precisely what Burrow and the Bengals need. After leading the franchise to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, and following that up with a trip to the AFC Championship Game in 2022, the Bengals have been absent from the playoffs entirely. With their signal caller on the bench, they’ve sputtered out of the gate this year too, sitting at 3-4 with an uphill battle between them and the postseason.