If you asked a Cincinnati Bengals fan about Zac Taylor in 2019, you probably would’ve heard a lot of sighs. The guy started 0-11. It was brutal. Honestly, it was the worst start in the history of the franchise. People were calling him a "coffee run" hire—basically implying the only reason he got the job was because he once stood near Sean McVay.
Fast forward to 2026. He’s now the longest-tenured coach in the AFC North. Let that sink in for a second. In a division that recently saw legends like Mike Tomlin step away and stalwarts like John Harbaugh move on, Taylor is the last man standing.
The Zac Taylor coaching history isn't just a list of jobs. It’s a case study in surviving a catastrophic start and building a culture that actually sticks.
The Nebraska Roots and the "Father-in-Law" Connection
Before he was wearing the headset at Paycor Stadium, Taylor was a record-setting quarterback at Nebraska. He wasn't some sideline prodigy who never played; he was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2006. But the NFL didn't want him as a player. He had a cup of coffee with the Bucs and a stint in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers where he never actually saw the field.
His coaching journey began at Texas A&M in 2008. This is where people start getting cynical. His boss was Mike Sherman. Sherman also happens to be his father-in-law.
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Look, in the coaching world, who you know matters. But Taylor wasn't just a "nepotism hire" for long. He followed Sherman to the Miami Dolphins in 2012. He spent four years there, mostly as a quarterbacks coach, helping Ryan Tannehill put up massive numbers that, at the time, were only trailing guys like Peyton Manning and Dan Marino for early-career production.
Then came the weird year. In 2016, he went back to college to be the OC for the University of Cincinnati. It was a disaster. The Bearcats went 4-8.
The McVay Effect and the Meteoric Rise
How do you go from a 4-8 season in college to being an NFL head coach in three years?
You join the L.A. Rams.
Taylor hooked up with Sean McVay in 2017. Initially, he was just an assistant wide receivers coach. Think about that—a lifelong QB expert coaching WRs. It was a smart move. It gave him a different perspective on the passing game. In 2018, he moved back to QBs, coached Jared Goff to a Super Bowl appearance, and suddenly, every team in the league wanted a piece of the McVay "genius."
The Bengals bit. They hired him on February 4, 2019. He was 35.
The Cincinnati Years: From 2-14 to Super Bowl LVI
The early Zac Taylor coaching history in Cincinnati was ugly. Like, really ugly.
- 2019: 2-14 record. (Secured the No. 1 pick... hello, Joe Burrow).
- 2020: 4-11-1 record. Burrow gets hurt. Everything looks bleak.
- 2021: The breakthrough. 10-7 record, AFC North title, and a Super Bowl run.
Most owners would have fired Taylor after year two. Mike Brown didn't. He saw something in the locker room culture that the box scores weren't showing. Taylor wasn't just a play-caller; he was a program builder. He survived the 6-25-1 start to become the only coach in Bengals history with five postseason wins.
What the Stats Don't Tell You
People love to credit Joe Burrow for everything. And yeah, Burrow is "The Guy." But Taylor’s ability to adjust has been underrated. In 2022, when teams started playing "Cover 2" to take away the deep ball to Ja'Marr Chase, Taylor evolved. The offense became a dink-and-dunk machine that moved the chains. They won eight straight games to close that season.
He’s also proven he can win without his superstar. In 2023, the Bengals stayed in the playoff hunt with Jake Browning at QB. That doesn't happen if the coaching is a "Burrow-only" fluke.
Why He’s Still Here in 2026
As of January 2026, Taylor's regular-season record sits at 52-63-1. On paper, that’s sub-.500. It doesn't look like a "great" coach's resume. But in the playoffs? He’s 5-2.
The AFC North is a meat grinder. This past year, the division went through a total transformation. Tomlin is gone. Harbaugh is out in Baltimore. Stefanski was let go in Cleveland. Taylor is now the "veteran" of the group.
There’s a nuance here most people miss. Taylor isn't a tactical wizard like McVay or a defensive mastermind like Lou Anarumo. He’s a stabilizer. He manages egos. He keeps the "voice" of the franchise consistent. Duke Tobin, the Bengals' director of player personnel, recently noted that Taylor is the sole voice for a reason: the organization believes in his message of continuity.
The Coaching Tree Grows
You know a coach is respected when his assistants get hired away. Brian Callahan, Taylor’s long-time OC, left to lead the Tennessee Titans. This is the next phase of the Zac Taylor coaching history: becoming a "tree" of his own rather than just a branch of McVay’s.
Actionable Insights for Football Fans
If you're tracking Taylor's career or evaluating the Bengals' future, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the "Scripted" Starts: Taylor is known for great opening drives. If the Bengals struggle early in games in 2026, it’s a sign his preparation might be slipping.
- Health is the Variable: Ran Carthon (former Titans GM) recently pointed out that Taylor wins 70% of his games when Joe Burrow is healthy. The "hot seat" only warms up when the QB is down.
- The AFC North Power Vacuum: With three new head coaches in the division, Taylor has a massive experience advantage. This is the Bengals' best window to dominate the North for the next three years.
Zac Taylor didn't have the easiest path. He wasn't the "chosen one." He was a guy who failed in Miami, failed at UC, and nearly failed in his first two years in Cincy. But 2026 proves that sometimes, the best coaching move is simply refusing to go away.
To get a better sense of how Taylor's system compares to the rest of the league, you should look into the specific EPA (Expected Points Added) rankings of the Bengals' offense during the "Browning weeks" of 2023 versus the 2025 season. It reveals a lot about his actual schematic growth.