Earlier this week, Paul Dehner Jr. of TheAthletic.com reported Bengals head coach Zac Taylor’s contract actually runs through 2027 instead of 2026, which the organization previously announced.
According to Dehner, while Taylor signed a five-year extension after Cincinnati’s AFC title in 2021, Taylor signed another after the club lost the AFC Championship Game to the Chiefs in the 2022 postseason.
With the Bengals sitting at 4-10 and set to miss the postseason for the third consecutive year, there is some question about Taylor’s job security entering the postseason. But with the way Cincinnati operates, it’s less likely the club would move on from Taylor if he’s not entering the final year of his contract.
Taylor was asked if he would confirm the reporting on his contract to open his Wednesday press conference. The head coach declined to say.
“I don’t think it really matters,” Taylor said. “I coach every day like it’s my last. I’ve been through years in 2019 and 2020 that were, literally, you coach every game thinking it could be your last game. And I’ve seen how we responded after that, 2021 and 2022 competing for division titles and championships.
“So, this year is no different for me. It’s going through adversity. It’s coaching every game in this profession like it could be your last one. I have a lot of confidence in our staff that we’re going to get this turned around and we’re going to finish this season really strong, and put together a great plan to get back to those championships I mentioned. So, very confident we can do all that.”
Taylor was asked what assurances, if any, he’s received from ownership that he will be back and also declined to answer, saying they talk about “everything” every week.
“That’s not really a part of our conversations,” Taylor said, referring to his contract and job status. “Every week, we’re just trying to put together a great plan to win football games and make sure our team’s ready to go, make sure I’m ready to go.
“So, I know that’s of curiosity to you guys, but we’re just focused on beating the Dolphins.”
In his seventh season with the Bengals, Taylor has accumulated a 50-62-1 record as the club’s head coach.
