Bengals’ Zac Taylor gets ‘gone by mid-October' warning
Bengals coach Zac Taylor received a striking warning entering the 2026 season, with one NFL analyst saying he could be gone by mid-October.
The Cincinnati Bengals, entering the 2026 season with Super Bowl aspirations, face significant pressure on head coach Zac Taylor to avoid a disappointing start. A recent preseason ranking by FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano placed Cincinnati at No. 8, recognizing the team's potential with a healthy Joe Burrow, a talented offensive unit, and an enhanced defense.
However, Vacchiano also warned that Cincinnati could begin the year slowly, potentially leading to Taylor's dismissal by mid-October, stating, "Or they could start slow again, and Zac Taylor could be gone by mid-October. It's a coin flip." This warning follows Cincinnati's 6-11 record in 2025 and a third consecutive playoff absence.
NFL.com has also highlighted the Bengals among the teams under the most pressure entering 2026, emphasizing that Taylor "absolutely will feel pressure to win — or else." The upcoming season's opening games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Miami Dolphins will be crucial.
Despite Taylor's ability to weather slow starts in the past, the stakes are higher this time due to three consecutive playoff exits and the team's high expectations.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
