Zac Taylor, Brian Callahan and Elizabeth Blackburn Make 40 Under 40 List

Taylor led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Jul 1, 2022 9:59 AM EDT

CINCINNATI — The Bengals are one of the youngest teams in the NFL. They have stars like Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Joe Mixon, Trey Hendrickson and Tyler Boyd that are all entering their prime years or in the middle of their prime.

It isn't just the roster that's young. Three members of the Bengals' organization made The Athletic's 40 under 40 list, starting with head coach Zac Taylor.

"Taylor inherited a mess when he was hired by the Bengals in 2019, and while landing a franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow certainly helped accelerate the rebuild, Taylor has created a winning culture in Cincinnati," Lindsay Jones wrote. "Now his challenge is sustaining the success from 2021 and building on it."

Taylor, 39, overcame a 6-25-1 start to his tenure last season when he led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI. They won three playoff games, including two on the road for the first time in franchise history.

Taylor wasn't the only Bengals coach that made the list.

Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan also made the cut. The 38-year-old has had a big impact on Burrow and the Bengals' offense. This could be his last season in Cincinnati, assuming the offense takes another step with a revamped offensive line.

Callahan interviewed for the Broncos head coaching job during Cincinnati's playoff run. He didn't get the job, but that'll change in the near future if he continues to coach at a high level.

Elizabeth Blackburn is the third and final member of the Bengals' organization to make the list.

"Since [joining the Bengals’ front office], Blackburn has contributed to the launch of a Ring of Honor at Paul Brown Stadium and to a uniform redesign," Jones wrote. "She also helped manage a digital content team that finished in the top of the NFL in engagement rates the past two seasons."

The 29-year-old has made a big impact in a short time. That should continue and coincides with Burrow's arrival to Cincinnati, which completely changed the trajectory of the franchise.

Check out The Athletic's complete article here. For more on the Bengals, watch the video below and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

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