Story perspectives

Bengals' Zac Taylor Returns Despite Disappointing 6-11 Season

1/7/2026

Summary

Taylor Stays On

Zac Taylor, the Cincinnati Bengals head coach, will return for another season.
The Bengals finished the season with a 6-11 record.
Mike Brown expressed disappointment in the season and reaffirmed confidence in Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin, the Bengals' director of player personnel.
Joe Burrow expressed confidence in the coaching staff.
Zac Taylor was hired in 2019.

Summary

Haslam Fires Stefanski

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam fired head coach Kevin Stefanski after a 5-12 season.
Stefanski led two playoff appearances, but his 45-56 record and quarterback inconsistency prompted the move.
General manager Andrew Berry will lead the search for a new head coach, focusing on offense.
The Browns hold two first-round picks, guiding their quarterback search toward Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

History

Historical Context

In 2019, the Cincinnati Bengals hired Zac Taylor as head coach after parting ways with Marvin Lewis, who had led the team for 16 seasons. The Bengals finished with a disappointing 2-14 record, while the Cleveland Browns, under Freddie Kitchens, ended their season at 6-10, marking their 12th consecutive losing season. Both teams are now focused on rebuilding and improving their performance in the competitive NFL landscape.

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Taylor Stays On

Zac Taylor, the Cincinnati Bengals head coach, will return for another season.
The Bengals finished the season with a 6-11 record.
Mike Brown expressed disappointment in the season and reaffirmed confidence in Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin, the Bengals' director of player personnel.
Joe Burrow expressed confidence in the coaching staff.
Zac Taylor was hired in 2019.

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