Gary Landers/Associated Press

Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green is expected to undergo season-ending toe surgery after leaving Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos on a non-contact play, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter notes the initial recovery timetable for Green is expected to be three to four months, putting him on track to be ready for organized team activities.

It's tough news for the Bengals star. Sunday marked his first appearance since Oct. 28, as he missed the previous three games with the toe injury. Cincinnati went 0-3 in his absence, and with the team's season hanging in the balance, he did everything he could to suit up against Denver.

Unfortunately for him and the team, he didn't even make it to halftime before going down.

Green was in the middle of yet another strong season. He hauled in 45 passes for 687 yards and six touchdowns in eight games before being hurt. In the process, he led the Bengals to a 5-3 record, putting them fully in the AFC playoff hunt.

If Green's season is indeed over, it will mark just the second time in his eight-year career that he did not reach the 1,000-yard plateau. The only other year he failed to do so, 2016 (964 yards), a hamstring injury limited him to just 10 games.

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When asked about the possibility of being shut down in the days leading up to the Broncos game, the 30-year-old made it clear he was itching to play.

"There is no chance," Green said, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. "I'm here to win. I'm here to play football no matter what the situation is."

Things did not go as planned Sunday, and he was visibly emotional as he was carted to the locker room.

When Green gets put on injured reserve, he will become the 15th Bengal to wind up there this season. Quarterback Andy Dalton (thumb) and Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert (ankle) are among those sidelined for the rest of the year. Running backs Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard also missed time this season with knee injuries.