Bengals HC Zac Taylor finds himself on a list he should want no part of heading into 2026 NFL season
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor knows how important this season is for not just the franchise as a whole, but for himself. There’s equal potential for something great to happen following this year as there is something terrible, and we may not have to wait for the end of the season to find out.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor knows how important this season is for not just the franchise as a whole, but for himself.
Taylor enters the 2026 season three full years removed from his last playoff appearance, and an overall losing record as Cincinnati’s coach. The front office diplomatically announced his return for the year comes with the expectation of success, and the future beyond this season is not promised.
There’s equal potential for something great to happen following this year as there is something terrible, and we may not have to wait for the end of the season to find out.
Zac Taylor finds himself on scorching hot list
There has been at least one NFL coach who’s been fired before November of each season since 2018. It’s a virtual guarantee at least one of the current 32 coaches will not be on the sidelines by the time the second half of the 2026 campaign begins.
A to Z Sports’ Kyle Crabbs believes Taylor is one of four coaches who’s in danger to become the next one to be fired before the midseason point.
Crabbs looked at Cincy’s first six games leading up to November. He pointed out that losing to a few quality opponents could put the Bengals in a typical early-season whole, and falling to the Miami Dolphins in Week 5 would be “devastating.”
That makes this schedule one to watch. Amid all the expectations, it does beg what will happen if the Bengals get off to another slow start. Perhaps the best news for Zac Taylor is that Cincinnati usually does. But road games in Houston and Pittsburgh are tough draws — plus Jacksonville won 13 games last season. If a slow Cincinnati start includes what would be a devastating loss to Miami in Week 5 ahead of their bye week? Things could get interesting. Joe Burrow’s prime is only going to be so long. And the clock is ticking.
kyle crabbs
A to Z Sports
Bengals have their eyes on this season only
The clock is certainly ticking for Taylor and Co. The offseason has brought him a revamped defense filled with new veteran leaders to join forces with an already dangerous offense full of continuity.
Bringing back Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin was the first major decision of the busy offseason that followed. Expectations were set for both of them to right the ship with a bolstered roster.
“We obviously are hoping to have a successful season this year,” Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said to local media last month. “I know (Tobin and Taylor) want to do that as much as I want to do that. I can’t predict anything into the future, but we’re certainly counting on, right now, having a good season and going from there.”
It’s very rare for Cincinnati to fire a coach in the middle of the season. It hasn’t happened since 2000 when Bruce Coslet was canned three games into his fifth season. Taylor is entering his eighth year on the job, and is under contract through 2027.
I would find it shocking to see Taylor fired by the Bengals before the end of the season, even if the losses stack up early. It’s just not in their nature, but neither is trading a first-round pick for Dexter Lawrence, or restructuring Joe Burrow’s contract.
Cincinnati has proven it can evolve when needed. Taylor needs to make sure midseason firings is not the next item on the club’s list of evolutions.