Zac Taylor was named the 10th head coach in Bengals history on Feb. 4, 2019. The 2025 season is his seventh in the position.
Through six seasons in Cincinnati, Taylor holds a regular-season record of 46-52-1 and a postseason record of 5-2. In 2024, he guided the Bengals to their fourth consecutive winning season at 9-8, which was highlighted by five straight victories to close out the schedule. He once again orchestrated one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses, serving as play-caller for a unit that led the league in passing yards per game (272.9), ranked sixth in points per game (27.8) and ninth in total yards (365.5). Working with Taylor, fifth-year QB Joe Burrow led the NFL and set Bengals single-season records in several categories, including completions (460), passing yards (4918) and TD passes (43). Burrow earned his second career Pro Bowl selection and was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year. His top target, WR Ja'Marr Chase, became the sixth winner of the "Triple Crown" in the Super Bowl era, as he led all players in receptions (127), receiving yards (1708) and receiving TDs (17). Taylor also implemented HB Chase Brown's versatile skill set in the offense, helping the second-year pro total 1350 yards and 11 TDs from scrimmage.
In 2023, Taylor led the Bengals to a 9-8 record despite a few key players missing time due to injuries. With a healthy Burrow under center from Weeks 5-10, Taylor oversaw an offense that ranked fourth leaguewide in passing (275.6) and seventh in scoring (26.6). Following Burrow's season-ending injury in Week 11, Taylor worked with backup QB Jake Browning as he stepped
into the starting role for the first time in his career. Over the final seven weeks of the season, Browning ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (1868) and completion percentage (71.5), and Taylor guided Cincinnati to a 4-3 mark to close out the slate.
Taylor's offense in 2023 featured several playmakers, including Chase, who totaled 100 catches for the first time in his career, and HB Joe Mixon, who topped 1200 yards from scrimmage for a third straight season.
The 2022 season saw Taylor lead the Bengals to their second straight AFC North Division title and a repeat appearance in the AFC Championship Game. After entering November at 4-4, he helped Cincinnati tie regular-season team records for consecutive wins (eight) and total wins (12) to earn the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. With a pair of victories over sixth-seeded Baltimore and second-seeded Buffalo, Taylor became the 13th head coach in NFL history to win five of his first six career postseason games.
The Bengals in 2022 posted impressive numbers on both sides of the ball under Taylor, as the offense ranked in the top 10 leaguewide in passing (fifth, 265.0), scoring (seventh, 26.1) and total yards (eighth, 360.5), and the defense held opponents to a league-low 59.8 completion percentage. Burrow earned his first career Pro Bowl selection and was a candidate for NFL MVP, while the offense boasted a pair of 1000-yard receivers in Chase (1046) and Tee Higgins (1029).
Taylor guided Cincinnati to its first division crown in six years in 2021, then earned three postseason victories to win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl LVI. Burrow, playing in his first full season in Taylor's system, led the league in completion percentage (70.4) and was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year. Chase, the team's first-round draft pick, posted the most receiving yards by a rookie in the Super Bowl era (1455, since surpassed) en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Defensively, Cincinnati showed marked improvement from 2020 to '21, jumping from 29th in rushing yards allowed to fifth (102.5).
In the postseason, Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win in 31 years, a home Wild Card victory over Las Vegas, before the team went on the road to defeat the AFC's top two seeds, Tennessee and Kansas City.
In 2020, Taylor helped transition Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, to the pros, despite the absence of an in-person offseason program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to his season-ending knee injury, Burrow had the most completions ever by an NFL QB through their first 10 career games (264; now second-most). Defensively, Taylor oversaw seven new starters who helped Cincinnati hold opposing passers to the sixth-lowest completion percentage in the NFL (62.8).
In 2019, his first season as head coach, Taylor led the Bengals to second-half turnarounds on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the team's per-game rushing average jumped from 70.6 yards from the first half of the season (59.5) to the second half (130.1). Defensively, Cincinnati notched 11 more sacks in the second half of the season compared to the first, and allowed 84.1 fewer yards per game.
Taylor came to the Bengals after two seasons (2017-18) with the L.A. Rams, where he served as assistant wide receivers coach in '17 and quarterbacks coach in '18. In 2018, he helped QB Jared Goff to then-career highs in every major passing category as the Rams won the NFC West and advanced to Super Bowl LIII.
Taylor had a one-year stint at the University of Cincinnati in 2016, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under head coach Tommy Tuberville.
Taylor broke into NFL coaching in 2012 as assistant QBs coach for the Miami Dolphins. He was elevated to QBs coach from 2013-15, and spent the final five games of the '15 season as interim offensive coordinator and primary play-caller after the team made coaching staff changes.
Taylor's coaching career began at Texas A&M University, where he served as offensive graduate assistant and TEs coach under head coach Mike Sherman from 2008-11. The Aggies played in three bowl games during Taylor's time in College Station.
As a player, Taylor began his college career at Wake Forest (2002-03) before transferring to Butler County Community College in Kansas ('04) and then playing his final two seasons ('05-06) at the University of Nebraska. He had a decorated career with the Cornhuskers, setting numerous school records and passing for 5850 yards and 45 TDs. As a senior in 2006, he was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 3197 total yards and leading the Cornhuskers to a 9-3 record, an appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Taylor joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a college free agent in 2007, but was waived prior to the start of training camp and never saw NFL action. Later that year, he joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, where he spent one season (did not play).
His father, Sherwood, was a defensive back and captain at the University of Oklahoma, playing under Sooners head coach Barry Switzer from 1976-79. Sherwood Taylor later served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma and Kansas State University. Taylor's younger brother, Press, played quarterback at Marshall University and currently is the pass game coordinator for the Chicago Bears.
Taylor was born in Norman, Okla., on May 10, 1983. After attending Norman High School, he earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of Nebraska in 2006. He and his wife, Sarah, have four children — Brooks, Luke, Emma Claire and Milly. Sarah Taylor is the daughter of former Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman.
Playing and coaching history: 2002-03—Played QB at Wake Forest. 2004—Played QB at Butler County (Kan.) Community College. 2005-06—Played QB at University of Nebraska. 2007—Signed as college free agent with Tampa Bay Buccaneers (released prior to training camp); Was a QB with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL (did not play). 2008-11—Graduate assistant/assistant coach, Texas A&M. 2012-15—Quarterbacks coach, Miami Dolphins. 2016—Offensive coordinator/QBs coach, University of Cincinnati. 2017—Assistant WRs coach, L.A. Rams. 2018—QBs coach, L.A. Rams. 2019-present—Head coach, Cincinnati Bengals.
