Entering the 2021 NFL season, some prognosticators predicted that Zac Taylor might be on thin ice with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The young coach won just six games in his first two seasons, and some thought a marriage between quarterback Joe Burrow and his former LSU assistant coach Joe Brady was likely.
But the Bengals had different plans in mind, and now Taylor won’t be leaving Cincinnati anytime soon — at least without getting paid.
After leading the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in more than 30 years, Taylor was rewarded Wednesday with a contract extension through the 2026 season. Taylor, 38, was about to enter the final season of the four-year deal he signed in 2019.
“Zac has come into the league and worked to develop the foundations for a winning program that can be successful over time,” Bengals President Mike Brown said in a statement. “The fruits of Zac’s efforts were seen this year, and Zac is well-regarded by our players and coaches.
Before this season, Cincinnati’s playoff woes have been a monkey on the franchise’s back, as the Bengals hadn’t won a postseason game since 1989, losing in the first round of all eight of their playoff appearances since.
When the team hired Taylor in 2019, it was in full rebuild mode. It worked, as the Bengals went 2-14, earning the first pick of the 2020 draft that they used to select Burrow.
Burrow then tore his ACL as a rookie, and the Bengals sputtered to a 4-12 campaign. But with Burrow healthy this season, the Bengals went 10-7, won the AFC North title, ended their playoff drought with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders and then upset No. 1 seed Tennessee Titans and defending AFC champs Kansas City Chiefs en route to a Super Bowl appearance.
“Of course, this isn’t all about me,” Taylor said Wednesday. “This is about all the people in the building who are working toward a really solid future for all of us. And so I’m excited for everybody, because I certainly feel like the future is bright.”
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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