Bengals' Zac Taylor drags Joe Burrow down in QB-coach NFL rankings
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, however, is not a top-five coach in the NFL right now.
So says new rankings from Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, which aims to list the best quarterback-head coach duos in the NFL. Burrow and Taylor land just inside the top 10 at No. 9 overall:
'The Bengals might not have much defense, but they employ a good coach and a top-five quarterback. Burrow, the former No. 1 pick, had his best season in 2024, throwing for league-bests with 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns to help Cincinnati stay in playoff contention until the final day. With Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins signed long-term, expect more fireworks for years to come.'
RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals' 53-man roster projection following 2025 offseason
The problem, as one should expect, is Taylor. Burrow is fourth in his respective rankings, while Taylor is 16th.
It's a fair assessment, at least, as the debate continues as to whether Taylor should be on the hot seat and just how much leash the coaching staff should have on the goodwill of the recent Super Bowl appearance.
For now, the Bengals will be more than happy to charge forward with a tandem that lands in the top 10 alongside the likes of Kansas City, no matter how lopsided the scale.
RELATED: Joe Burrow feelings on Trey Hendrickson contract standoff revealed
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