Joe Flacco drops a hot take about Bengals HC Zac Taylor that goes against what plenty of fans think
Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback Joe Flacco has eye-opening praise of Zac Taylor.
Zac Taylor is entering his eighth year as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, but he’s not just atop the organization’s coaching chart, he’s also the play-caller of the offense.
That title and responsibility has been the source of most criticism directed at him over the years in Cincinnati.
Taylor has had success coaching and leading Bengals teams in the playoffs, and is generally regarded as a good coach to play for according to the players themselves. The offense he calls plays for is also one of the best units in the sport when the key players are on the field, and yet, fans can point to many instances in which critical play calls have fallen short, and the offense sputtering in the worst times because of it.
Fans have their judgement of Taylor in this regard, but Joe Flacco sees things differently.
Joe Flacco backs Zac Taylor as Bengals’ play-caller in a big way
Cincinnati re-signed Flacco to be Joe Burrow’s backup quarterback last week with a one-year, $6 million deal. The contract ensures the 41-year old will be one of the highest-paid backup QBs in the NFL, and keeps him in Taylor’s offense.
An offense he thinks is made better because of the one calling the plays.
“I think Zac is really good at what he does,” Flacco told Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson. “I loved being with him last year, just getting to kind of see behind the scenes and what he does for this offense. I was super impressed. I think he’s unbelievable at it.
“I think, ultimately, his strength is his ability to call a game on offense, that’s his biggest thing. But I also think just the way he relates to guys, and how he feels certain situations out and kind of adjusts off of that.”
Claiming play-calling is Taylor’s biggest strength as the coach of the Bengals is quite the statement compared to how he’s perceived, but it is easy to see why Flacco believes it to be true.
Flacco was benched by the Cleveland Browns and then traded to Cincy in the middle of last season. He was thrown under center after just a couple practices and started six consecutive games, throwing for 1,636 yards and 13 touchdowns in those six contests.
For Flacco to be that productive despite having virtually no preparation is indeed a testament to Taylor’s offense and his play-calling to a certain extent. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins would certainly help any competent QB in that situation, but Flacco’s limited experience executing Taylor’s calls speaks for itself.
Taylor isn’t giving up this part of his job despite annual calls for that action, and one of the most experienced passers in the game would probably validate that decision. It’s a definitive feather in his cap as he enters a crucial 2026 season.
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