Bengals 2025 Coaching Staff: Cincinnati officially makes seven new hires as defense experiences significant turnover

The Cincinnati Bengals have finalized its coaching staff for the 2025 season.

A total of seven coaching changes were made this offseason, headlined by Al Golden's return to the Queen City as the new defensive coordinator.

Bengals 2025 Coaching Changes

Bengals 2025 Coaching Staff

• Zac Taylor: Head Coach
• Darrin Simmons: Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach
• Al Golden: Defensive Coordinator
• Dan Pitcher: Offensive Coordinator
• Brad Kragthorpe: Quarterbacks Coach
• Fredi Knighten: Assistant Quarterbacks Coach
• Justin Hill: Running Backs Coach
• Troy Walters: Wide Receivers Coach
• Jordan Salkin: Assistant Wide Receivers Coach
• James Casey: Tight Ends Coach
• Scott Peters: Offensive Line Coach
• Michael McCarthy: Assistant Offensive Line Coach
• Justin Rascati: Pass Game Coordinator 
• Jerry Montgomery: Defensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator 
• Mike Hodges: Linebackers Coach
• Charles Burks: Cornerbacks Coach
• Jordan Kovacs: Safeties Coach
• Sean Desai: Senior Defensive Assistant
• Ronnie Regula: Defensive Assistant
• Mike Moon: Defensive Assistant
• Ben Jacobs: Special Teams Assistant
• Joey Boese: Head Strength & Conditioning
  
• Diamond Simmons: Assistant Strength & Conditioning
  
• Garrett Swanson: Assistant Strength & Conditioning
  
• Doug Rosfeld: Chief of Coaching Staff

This will be Taylor's seventh year as Cincinnati's head coach. The remaining coaches from his original staff from 2019 are Darrin Simmons, Pitcher, Kragthorpe, Casey, Kovacs, Boese, Swanson, and Rosfeld. Pitcher, Kragthorpe, and Kovacs have been promoted over the years while the others have maintained their same positions for all seven years. Simmons was given the asst. head coach title in 2020.

Other notable returnees include Knighten (fourth season), Hill (fifth season), and Walters (sixth season). 

Peters and McCarthy represent the only new additions to the offensive side of the ball. Cincinnati became familiar with Peters through his connection with former Bengals o-line coach Jim McNally, whom Peters played and learned under in the past. Peters also coached against the Bengals from 2020-23 with the Cleveland Browns. The only other change was Salkin being promoted from offensive assistant to assistant wide receivers coach.

Golden helped make four new hires underneath him on defense, and two of them have already coached with him. Moon was a part Notre Dame's staff in recent years when Golden was the Fighting Irish's defensive coordinator (as was Regula). Desai was a defensive assistant and eventually DC under Golden at Temple. Montgomery coached against Golden while they worked for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, respectively.