Bengals To Retain Zac Taylor, Duke Tobin

“Our focus is on building a team that can consistently compete at the highest level, with the goal of winning championships,” a statement from owner Mike Brown reads. “After thoughtful consideration, I am confident that Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor are the right leaders to guide us forward. They have proven they can build and lead teams that compete for championships. We trust their plans and expect to return to our desired level of success.”

The possibility of major changes was raised in the midst of Cincinnati’s mid-season slump. Toward the end of the campaign, however, it appeared as though both Taylor and Tobin were no longer in danger of being dismissed. Today’s news offers confirmation on that front.

Quarterback Joe Burrow has drawn plenty of attention with his recent comments on his future given his track record of making his opinion known for several high-profile roster decisions. He has shown full support for Taylor, something which has no doubt helped contribute to this decision. The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports a group of players offered an endorsement over the past week or so for keeping the 42-year-old in the fold.

2025 marks the third season in a row in which Cincinnati has fallen short of the postseason. Taylor’s first two campaigns resulted in a total of six wins, but the decision to retain him initially proved to be worthwhile. The Bengals reached the Super Bowl during his third season at the helm. That was followed by a trip to the AFC championship game. Since then, however, shortcomings on defense along with Burrow injuries have proven to be highly problematic.

Overall, Taylor’s record across seven years stands at 52-63-1. Improvement will be sought out this offseason, and it will be interesting to see if that includes changes on his staff. Longtime offensive coordinator Brian Callahan departed in 2024, and last winter the Bengals parted with veteran defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The latter’s replacement, Al Golden, oversaw a unit which endured massive struggles for much of the campaign. Cincinnati’s defense improved to a degree late in the season but still finished 30th in points allowed.

An inability to replace Cincinnati’s Super Bowl core on defense was raised as an argument in favor of moving on from Tobin, who has been in place since 2002. He will continue in his current role, however, as the Bengals opt once again for stability. If 2026 includes a repeat of this season’s struggles, a new round of calls for firings will no doubt emerge. The team’s top decision-makers will receive the opportunity to turn things around and avoid such a scenario.