Bengals just prevented the rest NFL from stealing one of their biggest weapons
The Cincinnati Bengals just prevented the rest of the NFL from stealing one of their biggest weapons. Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed an interview with Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher for their vacant offensive coordinator opening (which opened after Byron Leftwich was fired earlier this month). Pitcher is a sought-after assistant coach […]
The Cincinnati Bengals just prevented the rest of the NFL from stealing one of their biggest weapons.
Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed an interview with Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher for their vacant offensive coordinator opening (which opened after Byron Leftwich was fired earlier this month).
Pitcher is a sought-after assistant coach due to the Bengals' high level of success over the last two seasons.
But fortunately for Cincinnati, it looks like he's not going anywhere. At least not yet.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Bengals gave Pitcher a "lucrative" contract extension this week.
Rapoport noted that Cincinnati was "proactive" in keeping Pithcer from leaving the franchise he's called home since 2016.
Sources say Dan Pitcher, the Bengals quarterbacks coach since 2020, received a lucrative contract extension within the past week after several teams wanted to speak with him about offensive coordinator openings. Cincinnati was proactive, attempting to lock Pitcher in for another season rather than have him leave for a coordinator opening.
Pitcher is the only quarterbacks coach that Burrow has had in the NFL. Keeping that continuity is important to Cincinnati's continued success.
The assumption is that when Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan gets a head coaching job (which is eventually going to happen, maybe not this offseason, but it won't be long), Cincinnati can easily slide Pitcher into the offensive coordinator role.
Pitcher is a guy that Burrow trusts a lot so the transition would be seamless.
And if/when Pitcher moves into that role, the Bengals can promote assistant wide receivers coach Brad Kragthorpe to quarterbacks coach.
Kragthorpe worked with Burrow during his rookie season in 2020. He also worked with Burrow at LSU in 2018 (when Kragthorpe was an offensive analyst in Baton Rouge). So there's plenty of familiarity there.
Now that Pitcher has been extended, it sounds like the Bengals' succession plan at offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach should work out perfectly.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
