Bengals HC refuses to panic over troubling Joe Burrow trend

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) checks in with head coach Zac Taylor between plays in the second quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Bengals HC Zac Taylor refuses to panic over troubling Joe Burrow trend

By Chris Pownall | Last updated Sep 14, 2026 4:38 PM ET

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Joe Burrow throwing an interception won't make anyone in Cincinnati panic. Four pick-sixes since the start of last season, though? That's at least enough to ask the question.

Zac Taylor was asked about that number at a news conference on Monday, one day after Burrow added another in the Bengals' season opener. The Cincinnati coach didn't hesitate.

Zac Taylor isn't worried about Joe Burrow

"I'm not concerned about Joe," Taylor said. "I think he's going to do a great job taking care of the ball."

Fair enough. Burrow has built up enough credibility that one ugly throw isn't going to change how Cincinnati handles its offense.

The four pick-sixes are harder to brush aside.

The Bengals opened the season with a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, surviving despite Burrow's interception being returned for a touchdown. Cincinnati built an early lead and did just enough down the stretch to leave Tampa with a 1-0 record.

Taylor didn't pretend the latest one was a good decision, either. He said Burrow would want the play back before quickly making it clear where he stands with his quarterback.

"Overall, he's unbelievable with his decision-making," Taylor said. "Of course, we don't want that to happen, but I trust him fully."

That last part probably says more than anything else Taylor offered.

Burrow has a trend worth keeping an eye on

Nobody is suggesting Cincinnati should suddenly put training wheels on Burrow. That would create its own set of problems.

But a pick-six hurts differently.

An interception can leave the defense with a short field or wipe away a scoring opportunity. A pick-six puts points on the board immediately. Four of them since the beginning of last season is enough for the number to stick out.

Burrow has also never been the type of quarterback Cincinnati wants playing scared. Some of what makes him dangerous comes from trusting what he sees and giving his receivers a chance.

That's the tradeoff Taylor appears willing to live with.

For now, anyway.

The Bengals won their opener, Taylor still has complete faith in Burrow, and one bad throw isn't changing either of those things. If another pick-six shows up soon, however, the question Taylor dismissed Monday probably isn't going away.

Chris Pownall

Chris Pownall is a Contributor to Yardbarker covering all major sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, college athletics, and the biggest storylines shaping the sports world. His work focuses on timely analysis, strong opinion, and the narratives fans are actually talking about. He also serves as an NFL Analyst for Last Word on Sports, where he provides in depth coverage and league wide perspective on the NFL

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