Bengals’ newest coaching change reveals just how important one their longest tenured coaches has become
Cincinnati is bringing back a coaching role that was unmanned last season.
Cincinnati Bengals tight ends coach James Casey is one of seven staff members from head coach Zac Taylor‘s first staff in 2019 still working under Taylor. He’s one of only four working the same job he was hired to do seven years ago.
He’ll also now be handling an additional responsibility going forward.
Casey was one of a handful of assistants with their titles officially adjusted this week upon the finalization of the Bengals’ 2026 coaching staff. Along with continuing leading the tight end room, he will now serve as run game coordinator.
Interestingly enough, he did not take that title from anyone.
Bengals bring back run game coordinator title after going without it last year
Cincinnati experienced major coaching changes under Taylor in 2025, including the firing of offensive line coach Frank Pollack. It’s standard practice for the o-line coach to also have the run game coordinator title, and that was the case for Pollack.
Scott Peters was hired to replace Pollack as the o-line coach, but he did not assume the title of run game coordinator, nor did any one individual coach on staff.
“That is not the title, but that’s something we’re all going to collectively do as a staff,” Peters said last January. “And so I’m looking forward to collaborating with the rest of the offensive coaches.”
What ensued was a very efficient year for the Bengals’ run game. Chase Brown crossed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground for the first time in his young career, and Cincinnati finished fifth in EPA/rush and fourth in rushing success rate. Improved o-line play with the guidance of Peters’ coaching played an instrumental part in that, and clearly, collaborating among the offensive coaching staff paid dividends for the rushing attack.
Why James Casey landed the role
So why change course now, and why not just make Peters the RGC? The simplest answer the second part is Peters would’ve been given the role last year if it was in consideration at all.
Casey earning the official title instead speaks to the logic that he must’ve proved very valuable in the collaborative process. The former tight end who played seven years in the league with over 1,000 blocking snaps in his career. It’s one of the toughest positions to play in the sport due to needing aptitude in basically every offensive skill aside from throwing or snapping the ball. It makes sense why he would be the alternative option to the o-line coach in spearheading the run game.
Three other coaches also have updated roles updated roles. Jordan Salkin is now the assistant quarterbacks coach after serving as assistant WRs coach in 2025. Ronnie Regula is now the assistant linebackers coach after being hired last year as a defensive assistant, and Mike Moon has been promoted to assistant defensive line coach after also joining the staff last in 2025 as a defensive assistant.
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