Duke Tobin Explains Why Cincinnati Bengals Make Zac Taylor Voice Of Franchise So Often

CINCINNATI — The Bengals aren't shy about putting head coach Zac Taylor in front of the media each season. Cincinnati wants to have one voice speak for the team during that game window, and director of player personnel Duke Tobin explained the reasoning behind that last Friday.

All eyes are on Tobin and the front office over the next three months during this crucial team-building timeframe.

"It was important for me to talk to the fans. I recognize it was important for you guys to get the opportunity. Normally, I do this in Mobile (Alabama), and some of you show up, and some of you don't. I guess I've come around. I can change. And if this is something that you guys feel is important, I'm happy to do that," Tobin said to the media last week. "During the season, Zac is our voice, and Zac is somebody who speaks for us. We communicate all the time with him, and he understands everything that's going on, and he is the voice of our team.

"And during the season, it's about the players, and it's about the coaching staff, and that's what it's about. And so he is the guy that you'll hear from during the season, period. Some organizations run that way, some do it differently. But we believe in his message, and his message is our message during the season."

Having Tobin (or someone from the front office) speak after every season concludes isn't a crazy thing to ask for, and the Bengals acknowledged that by making him available for over an hour.

That runtime shows how much the media wanted to talk to someone other than Taylor who has clear influence on how the team is put together.

Before this, Tobin normally only spoke at the Senior Bowl in Alabama and the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Local season wrap-up pressers were hard to find, but the Bengals showed another way they can evolve by doing this.

Continued evolution in building the roster is what the fans want next, but last week was a nice step forward in the public partnership and accountability Cincinnati wants from its most popular sports team.

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and watch the video below as part of our in-depth coverage of the team. Prefer to listen? Check out Cincinnati Bengals Talk on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts.

Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, insight, film breakdowns and so much more!

Also, check out the podcast, Locked On Bengals, wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple: bit.ly/BengalsApple

Spotify: bit.ly/BengalsSpotify

YouTube: bit.ly/LOBengalsYouTube

-----

Follow us on X: @BengalsTalkSI

Like Our Facebook Page

Follow on TikTok