Bengals' Zac Taylor lands on list no NFL head coach wants to be on

The 2025 campaign could be a make-or-break one for Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.

Despite enormous expectations year in and year out thanks to having one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Joe Burrow, and one of the best offenses overall, the Bengals have missed the playoffs two years in a row.

Taylor had an excuse in 2023 after Burrow missed seven games, but the team failed to get back to the playoffs in 2024 despite the two-time Pro Bowler suiting up for every contest. The defense was the biggest culprit in that.

While Taylor has led the Bengals to two conference title games and one Super Bowl appearance in six years, Cincinnati hasn't won the Big Game on his watch.

As a result of the team's struggles the past two seasons, CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan not only believes that Taylor is on the hot seat, he predicts the Bengals will end up firing their head coach.

Taylor will need to get the Bengals back into the playoffs to keep his job, and it's no sure thing he'll be able to do that. On top of playing in a division with the Baltimore Ravens and the new-look Pittsburgh Steelers with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, the Cincinnati defense has major questions. The team is currently embroiled in contract spats with pass rushers Trey Hendrickson and rookie Shemar Stewart. Hendrickson's situation could ultimately lead to a trade, which would make a defense that allowed 25.5 points per game (tied for the fifth-highest in the NFL) even worse. 

And the offense may not be able to bail them out, either. Last season, the Bengals lost six games despite the offense scoring 25 points. They also lost two games despite a 38-point output from the offense. All of that doesn't exactly bode well for Taylor in what feels like a make-or-break season. 

Prediction: Fired

It's hard to argue with this logic. The lack of a Super Bowl victory makes Taylor vulnerable, and many believe the leash has already been too long, which is fair.

At the very least, the Bengals need to get back to the postseason for Taylor to have a chance to keep his job, but even then, that might not be enough for a team with such a talented roster.

Stacking the deck against Taylor is the fact that the Bengals play in one of the tougher divisions in the league, and there's also a chance that the team won't have its best defender, Trey Hendrickson, who is in a contract standoff with Cincinnati, which leaves the door open for him to be traded.

If the Bengals fail to make a deep run in the postseason, it wouldn't be at all shocking to see Cincinnati make a switch at head coach in 2026.