Zac Taylor Says Bengals Won't Make Any Coaching Changes Ahead of 2026 Season

Karl Rasmussen | Jan 5, 2026

Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he isn’t planning to make coaching staff changes in 2026. / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Bengals seem to still have faith in head coach Zac Taylor, as despite missing the playoffs in 2025 for a third consecutive season, Taylor has been retained by the organization.

Set to enter 2026 as Cincinnati’s head coach for what will be his eighth year in the role, Taylor spoke to reporters Monday and was asked if he intended to make any changes to his coaching staff. Taylor said he didn’t anticipate any coaching changes were going to be made for the Bengals, per ESPN’s Ben Baby.

That decision comes despite Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase expressing that they felt some type of changes were needed after the team’s 6–11 season––its worst record since 2020.

Taylor has been the head coach in Cincinnati since 2019. He’s compiled a record of 52–63–1 over the last seven seasons and led the Bengals to the Super Bowl during the 2021 season.

In 2025, Taylor’s Bengals dealt with myriad injuries en route to a disappointing 6–11 record. Burrow played in just eight games after missing a chunk of the campaign with a toe injury that required surgery, leading the team to bring in Joe Flacco as a replacement.

Despite the absence of its star quarterback, Cincinnati’s offense wasn’t truly the problem this year. The Bengals’ defense was one of the worst in the NFL, ranking 30th in points allowed and 31st in total yards surrendered. Even with those dismal results, Taylor plans to bring back defensive coordinator Al Golden for a second season in the role.

The 492 points allowed by the Bengals this season was the most the team has surrendered in a single season in franchise history. Still, Taylor seems to have faith in Golden’s ability to turn things around and make the necessary improvements on defense. Speaking to the media, Taylor suggested having a longer period to work with Golden during the offseason will be a big boost ahead of free agency as the team looks to add some playmakers on that side of the ball. Golden didn’t join the coaching staff in Cincinnati until late January last offseason, giving them less time to find their footing together before free agency and the draft.

Taylor has led the Bengals to the playoffs in just two of his seven seasons running the team. But after three consecutive years of missing the postseason, 2026 will be a critical campaign for Taylor and the rest of his coaching staff.

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