NFL Rumors: Insiders Wonder If Bengals' Zac Taylor Is on Hot Seat amid 4-8 Record

The long-term status of Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is becoming a topic of discussion around the NFL, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"For example, I've had multiple coaches in the league text me this week about the Bengals job, wondering if Zac Taylor is on the hot seat," Fowler reported Wednesday. "Not sure I see that, given some of the goodwill Taylor has built up there and owner Mike Brown's propensity for cost control (Taylor has two more years left on his deal). But the next month will be about deciphering what's real and what's not. And perhaps Taylor will make staff changes there."

The Bengals reached the Super Bowl in 2021 and returned to the AFC title game in 2022 with Taylor at the helm, but their 4-8 record is beginning to turn up the heat on the head coach, at least within the fanbase.

Joe Burrow is having an MVP-type season with 3,337 passing yards and 30 touchdowns through 12 games, and it's being completely wasted because Cincinnati's defense can't stop anybody.

And the frustration toward Taylor goes beyond that.

The Bengals have consistently had to dig themselves out of an early hole in recent years. They dropped their first two games of 2022 before going 1-3 to open 2023. This season was even worse as they were 1-4 through early October.

At a certain point, Taylor has to answer for the fact Cincinnati has come up short in so many close games, too. Seven of its eight losses so far were by seven points or fewer.

As Fowler laid out, it's ultimately tough to see the Bengals firing Taylor this offseason unless their performance truly craters.

ESPN's Bill Barnwell examined the coach's job security on Monday after Cincy gave up 44 points and 520 yards in a defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He concluded that "it's more likely the struggles will fall on defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo."

Beyond the raw numbers (369.2 yards and 28.3 points allowed per game), Barnwell cited the lack of improvement from the Bengals' draft picks who were supposed to anchor the defense.

Assuming Taylor is back in 2025 with some changes to the coaching staff, it could be much more of a make-or-break season in terms of his future.