Zac Taylor has seen success at times during his tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals, but it’s safe to say he’s entering a make-or-break 2026 season.
The Bengals are loaded with talent across the roster, and after failing to reach the postseason in each of the last three years — partially due to star quarterback Joe Burrow’s health — this could be Taylor’s final opportunity to turn things around.
Fox Sports’ Nick Wright believes this will be Taylor’s last season in the Queen City.
Nick Wright Predicts Bengals’ 2027 Coach
On Thursday, Wright predicted that the Bengals will fire Taylor before the 2027 season and hire Nick Sirianni as his replacement, despite Sirianni still being the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ultimately, Wright believes Sirianni will also part ways with the Eagles and have a job waiting for him in Cincinnati.
“Mark this. Save it for the archives… I wanna be the first to report the head coach of the 2027 Cincinnati Bengals: Nick Sirianni.
“It’s that Sirianni’s not back in Philadelphia next year and that the Bengals, because I know if they miss the playoffs, is that they’re firing Zac Taylor. That button has to be pushed, and the Bengals are the type of franchise I believe doesn’t want to roll the dice with a first-time head coach again. Guy’s won a Super Bowl.”
Taylor’s Tenure in Cincinnati
The Bengals hired Taylor in 2019 after firing Marvin Lewis. Outside of his first season in Cincinnati, Taylor has had Joe Burrow as his quarterback every step of the way.
During his tenure, Taylor has reached the playoffs twice, making the AFC Championship Game both times and advancing to the Super Bowl during the 2021 season. However, his overall record sits at 52-63-1.
That said, while many teams likely would have fired a coach after seven years — especially following three consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance — the Bengals have historically shown patience when making major decisions.
Lewis coached the team for 16 years, and while he enjoyed plenty of regular-season success, he never won a playoff game during that span. The same owner remains in charge of Cincinnati today: Mike Brown, the son of legendary Bengals founder Paul Brown.
Nick Wright Predicts Bengals Will Hire Super Bowl-Winning Coach in 2027