One Question Mike Brown Must Ask While Deciding Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin’s Future

CINCINNATI — Bengals owner Mike Brown has some big decisions to make. From Duke Tobin to Zac Taylor, the entire organization should be on notice after falling to 4-10. Sunday’s loss to the Ravens ended Cincinnati’s slim playoff hopes and was a loud exclamation point on an awful season.

The Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase-led Bengals have missed the playoffs for three-straight seasons.

That’s wild to say, but it’s the reality. Meanwhile, people in Kansas City are freaking out because they missed the playoffs this season. And the Bills? They’re on their way to a seventh-straight playoff berth.

Teams with an elite quarterback should make the playoffs year-in and year-out. It's time for the Bengals to have some tough conversations after missing the playoffs for three-straight years.

Burrow’s wrist injury in 2023 is a real reason to miss the playoffs. Last year was unacceptable. Following that up by going 1-8 when Burrow was sidelined this year is also unacceptable. They've been incompetent for most of the season. That cannot happen—regardless of Burrow's health.

The question Brown needs to ask is simple: does this person give the Bengals the best chance of winning a Super Bowl? Not a chance—the best chance.

It’s the question Brown should ask when evaluating Tobin, Taylor and everyone else within the organization. Mike Brown is the one that will make these decisions. It won’t be Katie or Troy Blackburn. It won’t be their daughters Elizabeth and Caroline. It’ll be Mike.

Brown decides whether Taylor is back next year. He will make the decision on Tobin.

When he evaluates their performance, he needs to ask himself one question: Does this person give us the best chance of a Super Bowl?

If the answer is no, find the scout, the coach, or the director of player personnel that does.

Some will say, “Hire a real general manager.”

That’s unrealistic. Katie Blackburn handles contracts. That isn’t going to change. Tobin is the closest thing they have to a general manager.

They need to change the way they structure contracts to maximize cap space and what they can do under the cap. That should be part of their offseason strategy/plan to get better.

After watching the 4-10 Bengals play this season, it’s hard to come to the conclusion that things are fine. Even Ja’Marr Chase believes something needs to change.

“If I had to say, so it’d probably be something,” Chase said on Sunday. “But I don’t know what I could do. All I can do is control what I can control.”

Joe Burrow backed Taylor, Tobin and everyone in the building.

“A lot of confidence,” Burrow said after Sunday’s loss. “Because I know how hard people work at it. We’ve got the right people. It starts with players playing better, and today it was me.”

Burrow’s point is noted and no one is debating his importance or influence. I’m certainly not debating Taylor or Tobin’s work ethic. That really isn’t the point.

Working hard is the bare minimum. There are 32 head coaching jobs. There are 32 general manager/director of player personnel jobs. This is the elite of the elite.

Being a “hard worker” is the bare minimum. Being great is the standard. Winning Super Bowls is the standard. Effort alone doesn’t matter if you aren’t the best person to get the team to the ultimate goal.

This is supposed to be the golden era. Brown knows Bengals history better than anyone. The 2021 and 2022 seasons were amazing. Burrow got hurt in 2023. Fine. The Bengals should’ve bounced back in 2024. That didn’t happen. This year things were supposed to be different. Instead, the Bengals have posted a 2-10 record and haven’t won on Sunday since Sept. 14.

Change is needed.

Brown needs to [and should] understand the stakes. Spending more, bringing in new people, adjusting coaching and front office—it could make all the difference next season and beyond.

Taylor has one more year left on his contract through 2026. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has two years left on his deal. Most position coaches have one year remaining.

Big decisions need to be made and changes should be coming. And it starts with Brown asking a simple question: Does this person give the Bengals the best chance of winning a Super Bowl? If the answer is no, then that person should no longer be employed by the Bengals.

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