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The Cincinnati Bengals have officially hired Los Angeles Rams Quarterbacks Coach Zac Taylor to become their next head coach today a move we covered when it was first announced in mid-January.
While there was an agreement in principle, the Bengals had to wait until the Rams’ season was over to complete the hire.
Taylor joined the Rams in 2017 coming on to Head Coach Sean McVay’s staff as the assistant wide receivers coach. A year later, Taylor took over as quarterbacks coach when Greg Olson left to become the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders and their new (old) head coach, Jon Gruden.
Taylor is light on experience having concluded his playing career in 2007. Four years as a grad assistant at Texas A&M preceded four years climbing the coaching ladder with the Miami Dolphins including becoming the offensive coordinator in that final year. In 2016, he jumped back to the college level to be the OC with Cincinnati before coming onto the Rams. So it’s been a steep ascent for the 35-year old.
This is, of course, largely the McVay effect. Taylor now has a HC gig. Former Rams Offensive Coordinator Matt LaFleur went on to take a lateral promotion with the Tennessee Titans before becoming the Green Bay Packers’ new head coach heading into 2019. And Tight End Coach and Passing Game Coordinator Shane Waldron was interviewed by the Bengals as well. Other teams want a bit of McBae’s magic, and it’s easy to understand why.
It is worth noting here that QB Jared Goff, then, will have his fourth quarterbacks coach in four years. In his rookie year, Goff worked with Chris Weinke on Jeff Fisher’s staff before working for Olson and Taylor. We’ll have to see who McVay tabs for the job in the weeks ahead.
Good luck to Coach Taylor over in the AFC. I doubt this is the last hire from the McVay coaching tree.