With two straight years missing the playoffs, it is no secret that Taylor is far from safe entering 2025
Under Joe Burrow, the expectations for the Cincinnati Bengals have been high. With a Super Bowl and AFC Championship appearance early on in his time here, it seemed the Bengals could be perennial contenders.
That has not worked out, however, with the team missing the playoffs in 2023 and 2024. While in 2023, there was the excuse of Burrow missing a good chunk of the season, there was no such excuse for 2024, as he played the whole year and played phenomenally, and the team still finished just shy of the playoffs. This has definitely led to the idea that Taylor could be in the hot seat, especially among fans in Cincinnati.
That idea is not limited to Bengals fans, though. In a recent article published on PFF, Bradley Locker had this to say about the danger Taylor is facing entering the 2025 season.
“The Bengals went 9-8 in 2024, a record many teams would have loved to have reached. But considering the talent on the roster and a waning championship window, it feels like a prove-it year for Taylor…
“The Bengals’ core isn’t getting any younger or cheaper, and key pieces, such as Hendrickson, may not have much time left in Cincinnati. After two straight 9-8 finishes, it feels like Taylor will need to at least make the playoffs this year to retain his job.”
With an elite quarterback like Burrow, playoffs should be the bare minimum expectation. If Taylor has another healthy Burrow year and fails to reach the playoffs, his position as head coach of the Bengals will definitely be in danger.
Not many additions were made to the roster, so Taylor will have to hope that the few small changes made, along with the major changes made to the defensive coaching staff and the offensive line coach switch, can allow the defense and the offensive line to play better and get this team to where it needs to be.