The Cincinnati Bengals have high expectations for the 2025 NFL season. They have one of the game’s elite quarterbacks leading a stellar offensive attack, and are projected to be in contention for the AFC North crown.
But if they get off to yet another slow start, and if they miss the postseason for a third straight season, then head coach Zac Taylor may not be around much longer.
Is Zac Taylor Out If Bengals Miss The Playoffs In 2025?
Taylor was considered one of the top coaches in the league for a couple of years. He led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance during the 2021 season, and got back to the AFC Championship the year after. With he and budding superstar Joe Burrow leading the way, the future appeared bright in Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor is 7-18-1 in games decided of 3 points or less pic.twitter.com/5MhLlh9lGQ
— Drake Burton (@bengalsdrake) November 9, 2024
Instead, the team has posted back-to-back 9–8 records. This is despite the MVP-level play from Burrow, who led the league in completions, yards, and touchdowns in 2024. His primary receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, had more receptions, yards, and touchdowns than any other player. But the defense ranked 25th in the NFL in both yards and points allowed, which ultimately led to their absence from the postseason.
Zac Taylor may not necessarily be on the hot seat, but it is certainly getting warm. The Bengals didn’t make a whole lot of roster improvements this offseason, so the coach will essentially be running things back with similar rotations. Calling 2025 a “prove it” year for Taylor wouldn’t be far-fetched.
Will September Woes Continue For Cincinnati?
We’ll have a good gauge on things early on. The Bengals have been notorious for getting off to slow starts, as they finished September with a 1-3 record in 2024. In the past three seasons, they have posted a combined record of 4-8 during the first month. If Cincinnati struggles through the first four weeks, Taylor’s seat will turn from warm to hot.
Last season, Joe Burrow became the 1st QB with 250+ pass yards and 3+ pass TDs in 8 straight games.
His stats from week 9 to week 17:
• 69.4% completion rate
• 2,648 passing yards
• 27 pass TDs – 5 INTs
• 112.2 passer rating
• 96 rush yards, 1 rush TD pic.twitter.com/N9QuOrV2mJ— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) July 17, 2025
It won’t be easy to shake the woes, either. After opening with games against Cleveland and Jacksonville, the Bengals will play against 2024 playoff teams in each of the next five weeks.
There are odds available at BetOnline for which NFL head coach will be fired first. Zac Taylor has the 6th-shortest odds of any name on the board at (+800). The leaders are Brian Daboll of the New York Giants (+400) and Mike McDaniel (+500) of the Miami Dolphins.
